When Tomorrow Comes Chapter 1
by Raven524
Summary: SPOILER ALERT - Takes place immediately after 4.22
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer:** I _still_ don't own Supernatural or its characters. I and am not making any money on this…I'm just having fun!

**Summary:** WARNING SPOILERS: This takes place right after Lucifer Rises in season 4. This is my take on what happened after the door was opened.

**Raven 524**: I know this has been done before but decided to go ahead and put my own spin on how Season five should begin. Of course, the boys will be jumping from the frying pan right into the fire—but I promise they will only be slightly singed when I'm through.

**When Tomorrow Comes**

**Chapter 1 – He's Coming**

The blinding white light continued to build as the two brothers locked onto each other to ride out the storm. Sam gazed down into the growing hole with a mixture of terror and wonder on his face. Dean shook his head and realized this was definitely not the place to be. He reached over and grabbed his brother's jacket more firmly this time. "I mean it Sammy—we have to go—NOW!"

He pulled and was rewarded with his brother following him. As they moved towards the doorway, the room began to shudder, stones fell and the sound of wood breaking seemed to bring Sam out of his trance for the moment. Dean no longer had to pull his brother along; they were both making a mad dash down the hall, past the dead bodies of Lillith's followers until the door to freedom came into view. Sam slowed down and took a look back, his eyes filled with fear before he once more headed towards the door.

Dean could feel debris raining down on them. "Move it Sammy—this place is coming down!" As they neared the doors, the loud noise and rumbling that had been taking place stopped. Suddenly there was nothing but a deadly silence. As they stumbled through the doorway, they both looked back in wonder. There wasn't a sound, not a cricket or bird could be heard. It was almost as if the world was holding its breath for what was to come.

"Dean?"

"I don't know Sammy—but I say we get while the getting is good…" Dean looked around and saw an orange car sitting to the side. It must have been Ruby's. Grabbing Sam's arm, he dragged his brother towards the car. "Get in…"

Dean opened the door and smiled as he saw the keys in the ignition. He turned and watched Sam take a step back, his face pale. "No—no…" Sam muttered as he started to move away from the car. The older hunter quickly reached forward and grabbed his brother.

"We don't have time for this Sam. You can grieve over Ruby later. Now we have to shake ass or we'll be toast!" Dean manhandled his brother over to the passenger door and quickly shoved him inside. He slammed the passenger door shut and leapt over the hood of the small car before jumping into the driver's seat.

He threw the car into gear and quickly headed towards the main highway. He gazed in the rearview mirror; his eyes growing wide as he felt the earth beneath the car begin to tremble. The little car bucked along the road but managed not to crash as Dean pressed down harder on the gas pedal. He glanced at Sam who sat like a statue in the seat next to him; his eyes were glued straight ahead. The hands holding onto the dashboard were white. Another violent jolt caused Dean to pay attention to the road once more.

Suddenly there was a loud explosion. Dean looked back and shuddered as he saw a cloud of debris heading right for them. "Hold on Sam, this might get rough!" Dean felt the little car quiver as rock and pieces of wood fell around them. It reminded the older hunter of pyroclastic clouds he'd seen one night on the National Geographic Channel. But he was sure this was more powerful than the largest volcanic eruption. As the cloud enveloped the car, Dean had all he could do to see the road in front of them.

He put on the windshield wipers to clear the dust so he could see better. The world around them was now gray, the moon and sky obliterated from view. Dean reached over and placed a hand briefly on Sam's arm. He squeezed lightly before returning his hand to the wheel. At least if this was the end, he and Sam would be together.

Dean drove on, his eyes looking for the black road that meant they'd reached the highway. The air was still deadly quiet, but the road beneath them no longer shook. It seemed like hours but finally he felt the tires hit the paved road of the highway. Not caring which direction he took, Dean turned and gunned the little car forward. He really missed the Impala's powerful engine as the car whined along the road. But then, maybe it was better that his car was safe at Bobby's house. It at least would survive for a little longer…

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Bobby Singer slammed down the phone. "Damn you Rufus and your stupid theories…" He paced and looked out the same window that Dean Winchester had been looking out of before he disappeared. One minute he thought he might be getting through to the boy and then he was gone. "Damn Angels…" He muttered as he headed back towards his library. He stopped to turn on the television. If something bad was going down, the news channels would pick it up.

He was sure this all had something to do with the apocalypse. He was also sure that his boys were being manipulated by both sides of this thing. As he pulled out a large volume, he began to read. The more he read, the more worried he became. None of the stories had a good ending. He gazed at the television screen and stopped, his eyes going wide when he saw a reported explosion at a convent in Ilchester, Maryland. As he stood and raised the volume his phone rang.

"Yeah, I'm watchin' it Rufus. I know, you idjit, it's probably the last seal being broken and I'm betting those two are right in the middle of it." Bobby listened for a few more minutes as Rufus asked him what the Winchesters were doing in Maryland.

"I don't know if they are, but if Armageddon is starting—those boys will be in the middle of it trying to stop it—even if it meant their lives. So don't you go spreading any rumors or so help me you'll be drinkin' your booze through a straw." Bobby slammed the phone shut and looked at the pictures of the convent.

It looked like an atomic bomb had gone off. The building had been leveled and even the trees had been flattened. The report was saying it was probably some kind of natural gas explosion caused by an earthquake that had registered in the area. Since the convent was empty, there had been no casualties. Bobby breathed a sigh of relief but wouldn't rest until he managed to talk to the boys. At least he hoped they were together, if not—he didn't want to think about it.

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Dean's hands curled around the steering wheel as they continued to barrel down the highway. He had no idea how long he'd been driving or where they were going to end up. All he knew was he had to get away from the convent—from Lucifer. Damn Zachariah and his grand plans for getting rid of Lucifer. Down deep, he had to believe that there was still some way to avoid the coming war, to save the people who would be caught in the cross fire of the Angel and Demon pissing contest. He didn't care about them—Angels had turned out to be just as corrupt as Demons and proved to be just as trustworthy.

For a moment he wondered what had happened to Chuck and Cas. What he'd give to be able to read one of Chucks books to see how this all ended. But then, they'd already changed destiny hadn't they? Chuck said he wasn't part of the story but here he was running with his brother in tow. He may not have been part of the tale, but he was certainly in it now. He gazed over at his too quiet brother. "Sammy?" He tried to get his brother's attention, but Sam continued to stare straight ahead. His hands were no longer digging into the dashboard but rested loosely at his sides. It was almost as if his brother had checked out.

Dean sighed. "Don't worry Sammy, we'll figure this out. No way I'm gonna let a little Angel on Demon action separate us. Do you hear me Sam, we will do this together."

"Why?" Sam croaked, his eyes turning to meet Dean's for a brief moment before sliding away again.

"Why what Sam?" Dean was thrilled his brother was at least responding. It meant he was still in there somewhere.

His little brother swallowed and looked down at his hands. "Why did you come back?"

There it was the elephant on the table. Dean wanted to find a place where they could have a long talk, but now wasn't the time. They had to get someplace safe. So he decided to give his brother the best answer he could. "Because we're brothers Sam and nothing will ever change that."

Sam didn't respond at first but after a few more minutes of silence he bit his lower lip before speaking so soft Dean had to strain to hear. "Dean—ah—do you think we could stop—we're in a wooded area and—well—we have to—I mean I have to—she should be given a proper burial."

Dean slowly pulled over to the side of the road before he turned to look at Sam. His brother was shaking, his head down so that his bangs covered his eyes. "Who Sam?"

"Cindy—she said—Cindy McCellan, wife of Matthew—Oh God—what have I done!" Sam dropped his head into his hands as silent sobs lifted his shoulders. Dean was at a loss. He figured this Cindy was somehow involved with what happened back at the convent.

"Where is she Sam?" Dean finally asked, almost afraid of the answer.

"She's—she's in the trunk—I tried, I really tried to save her Dean—but Ruby—ah God, why did I listen to her?" Sam gulped in air before he continued. "Ruby said we needed her to—to give me the final boost." Sam turned and looked at Dean, hazel eyes full of despair and guilt glimmered with unshed tears. "She's dead because of me Dean…"

Dean sucked in a breath before he slowly exited the car. He opened the trunk and looked inside. A young woman in nurses' scrubs was curled inside. Her wrist was slit but otherwise she looked as if she were sleeping. He hung his head for moment before he moved towards the passenger door. He opened the door and leaned in. "She was possessed." Dean said matter of factly. "Just tell me you sent the demon inside her back to hell…"

Sam looked down at the floor and sighed softly. "I didn't take that much blood from her Dean. I mean, she should have survived. But when I finally killed the demon—she, she just died. The looks on her face Dean while I drank—Oh God—she looked at me like—like I was some kind of…" Sam stopped talking as if he couldn't find the words to continue.

The older hunter wiped his hand over his face as he processed what his brother was telling him. He knew down deep that the host usually didn't survive, especially with the stronger demons inhabiting them. It wasn't fair, but in a way it was probably better this way. At least they wouldn't have someone turning them in to the cops. Although, with Angels and Demons on their back, maybe the police would be a better alternative. A soft sob brought Dean back to the matter at hand. His brother was falling apart in front of him and he had to try to fix it.

"Sammy" Dean leaned in again and pulled his brother's face over so that he could see his eyes. "She was probably dead before you bled her. I'm not going to say what you did was okay because we both know it wasn't. But you didn't kill her—the demon did." Dean watched as Sam looked up at him, something he hadn't seen in a long time reflected in his eyes—belief. It was the look his brother had always given to him when he was hurting, the look that said he knew Dean could fix it and make it better.

"Come on Sam, the sooner we get her taken care of—the sooner we can find some place to rest for the night. In the morning, we'll figure out what to do…" Dean watched as Sam uncurled himself from the small car. Any other time, he would have laughed at the sight of his huge brother getting out of the toy car. But now wasn't the time or place.

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

It took the boys over an hour to find an area where they could burn the body. Luckily, Sam had left his bag with some of their supplies in the back seat of the car. After they salted and burned the body, Sam stumbled off into the bushes. A short time later Dean heard the sounds of his brother getting sick; he waited a few moments before going in after his brother to help him. Finally, he managed to get Sam back to the car and they were once more on the road.

Neither one of them said anything as they put more distance between them and the night's events. Suddenly Dean's phone rang. He reached into his pocket and saw Bobby's name on the display. "Oh crap, I should have called him…" Dean winced as he answered the phone.

"Dean, what the hell happened?" Bobby's voice sounded over the phone.

"ah, well funny you should say that…" Dean paused as he looked at Sam. His brother was looking down at the floor, his shoulders hunched as if he was trying to disappear. Small tremors were visible even in the dim light of the car.

"Don't mess around with me boy—is Sam with you?" Bobby asked impatiently.

"Yes, but Bobby—I was too late…" Dean said softly into the phone. He could hear the quick inhaled breath of his brother. "Lucifer is free…"

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Sam listened to the one sided conversation Dean was having with Bobby. He knew Dean had to tell their friend what happened but part of him had wished he could hide from what he'd done. As he pulled away from the shame he felt over what he'd done his mind flew back to the convent.

"_You saved us—you set him free…"_ Ruby's voice echoed in his mind. The rapture on her face as she looked at the widening hole in the floor was painful to see. He shivered as he remembered those last moments—the time he discovered he'd been duped by the demon he had come to trust.

"_What did I do?" Sam's voice pleaded._

"_You opened the door and now—he's free at last…" Ruby shouted with glee._

"_No—no—Lillith—I stopped her—I killed her…" Sam pleaded with the demon as she continued to gloat._

"_And it is written, the first demon shall be the last seal…"_

There was no excuse, Sam had been wrong and Dean had been right all along. He should have known better, he was raised to be a hunter. Both his father and Dean had told him the dangers of dealing with demons, even Bobby had warned him. But he knew better, he had all the answers and in the end he chose the demon over his brother. He watched as Dean continued to talk to Bobby, but he couldn't hear the words because his mind was shouting his own damnation.

"_You've turned yourself into a freak—a monster…"_ Lillith's taunts caused him to suck in his breath. She'd known all along what needed to happened. In fact, she had practically told him that night at the hotel. He should have sensed it then, but he'd been so blind, so full of anger and a thirst for revenge. Even Chuck tried to warn him when he told him drinking the demon blood was wrong. The man didn't even know his books were real, and even he could see the destructive path Sam was spiraling down.

The demon blood, the source of his great powers—the means to stop the rising of Lucifer turned out to be the key instead. Sam closed his eyes as he realized he'd become exactly what he had fought so hard against—a monster.

"_The blood—you poisoned me!" Sam glared at the demon in front of him._

"_No, it wasn't the blood. It was you and your choices. I just gave you the options and you chose the right path every time." Ruby took Sam's face in her hands. "You didn't need the feather to fly, you had it in you the whole time Dumbo…"_

The whole time he didn't need the demon blood. He'd changed himself into a freak, into something his brother would have to kill. When all this time he'd had the power to do it on his own; his abilities were a part of him long before Ruby was on the scene. If he'd only listened, done more research—taken the time to think about what he was doing. Instead he took the easy way, the sure way to get what he wanted. He'd convinced himself that the ends justified the means. All he did was give control to the demon—he became her puppet and danced while she pulled the strings.

"Why—why me?" Sam whispered as he gazed out into the dark night.

"_Because—because it had to be you Sammy. It always had to be you…"_ Ruby's voice whispered back.

Dean had been picked by the Angels to stop the apocalypse while Sam had been picked by the son of Satan to release the ultimate evil into the world. As he let his head drop to his chest he couldn't help but feel that the wrong person died in the nursery so many years ago. Gordon was right, he should have been killed because now he was no better than the filthy things they hunted—in fact he was worse.

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Dean glanced at Sam as he tried to finish his discussion with Bobby. He could literally see his brother pulling inward. A single tear ran down his brother's face as his lips moved silently. "Look Bobby, we're going to find a place to stop and then I'll call you…"

"You need to head back here Dean until we figure out what is going on. If Cas is still around, he'll look for you here. Besides I've added some additional protections so that neither Angels nor Demons can get in here." Bobby's voice sounded worried.

"We're at least three days out from you Bobby but we'll head that way as soon as we can. In the meantime, start figuring out how we put this genie back in the bottle would you?" Dean saw a sign on the road indicating they were entering the Pine Barrens in New Jersey. But he didn't see any signs for the nearest town yet.

"Sure, I'll get right on that!" Bobby said sarcastically into the phone. Dean chuckled softly as he imagined the look on his friends face right now.

"Look we just entered some sort of forest called Pine Barrens. I'll call you when we get to the hotel." Dean knew he had to find someplace soon as both he and Sam needed some down time.

"Pine Barrens—as in New Jersey!" Bobby said urgently into the phone "You idjit get out of there…"

"What's wrong Bobby?" Dean asked as he looked out into the darkness of the forest surrounding him. Suddenly something knocked into the roof of the small car. The wheel jumped in his hand as he tried to juggle the phone and the car at the same time.

"Watch out for the…" Bobby's warning came a moment too late as the car was hit once again, this time Dean couldn't keep the car on the road. As the small vehicle left the road Dean yelled at Sam to hold on before he felt something hit the car a final time. It was just enough to cause the car to flip before it headed for a large pine tree.

"Sammy!" Dean yelled before his world went dark.

TBC

Raven524: So what do you think—should I keep going?


	2. Chapter 2 Monster in the Pines

**Disclaimer:** I _still_ don't own Supernatural or its characters. I and am not making any money on this…I'm just having fun!

**When Tomorrow Comes**

**Chapter 2 – Monster in the Pines**

The hunter blinked as he tried to bring the world back into focus. A spider web of cracked glass was the first thing he noticed as the sun glinted off of it. That was soon followed by the pain in his head and chest. He could feel blood running down the side of his face as he tried to straighten up. Just beyond the cracked glass he could make out the boughs of a large pine tree. The trunk of the tree was embedded in the front of the car. It was clear they weren't going anywhere.

A soft groan escaped his lips as he did a quick inventory of his injuries. Definitely some kind of concussion as nausea rose in his throat at the slightest movement. He took a deep breath and moaned as his ribs complained. Okay, so ribs either badly bruised or cracked, but he was breathing without problems and couldn't feel any rubbing of the bones—so not broken. He moved his arms and legs, but other than a slight twinge in his shoulder where the seat belt had dug into his flesh, nothing seemed broken.

All in all he'd been lucky. The car, not so much. He reached over to open the door and was rewarded with a loud creak as it fell off the hinges. "Piece of crap car." He muttered as he slowly pulled himself from the crushed vehicle. The top of the car was crushed, but more than that were the indentations that also appeared where he'd heard the sound just before the crash. He fingered the strange marks and frowned. What the hell had made them?

As he stood, the world tilted for a moment before he managed to get himself under control. He took deep breaths to quell the queasy feeling in his stomach, his hand going to the side of his head and coming back with blood. He was still bleeding. Great, bleeding and injured in the middle of a freakin' forest, some fuggly monster sneaking around and no town in sight. As he stared up the sharp incline the car had rolled down, he realized how lucky he'd been to even be standing here. If the tree hadn't stopped him, he'd have gone further down the incline and probably been killed.

Rubbing his hand on the side of his head once more he bent down and gazed into the interior of the car. He snapped back up as he realized something important was missing.

"SAMMY!"

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

_Earlier that night…_

Sam groaned as the world came back into focus. He was on his back staring up at the cloud filled sky. Thunder sounded in the distance along with occasional flashes of lightening. He wondered if it was just a storm or if it was something worse. As he tried to rise, he cried out in pain. His shoulder had taken the brunt of the impact as the car rolled. He could tell it was out of joint as the pain continued to race through his body.

The young hunter paused as he tried to get his bearings. Years of hunting took over as he immediately looked for the danger. Something had attacked the car just before they crashed. As he stumbled slightly his eyes fell on the remains of the small orange car. It had come to rest against a large pine tree about ten feet from his position. Somehow he'd been tossed from the car before it continued down the inclined.

As he took a step, he winced at the pain in his ankle. He could put weight on it, barely. His eyes searched and found a sturdy branch lying close by. He grabbed it and used it to support part of his weight as he slowly made his way towards the car. The closer he got, the more worried he became. The car was totaled. His heart raced as he realized he hadn't heard anything from his older brother yet. He could see a silhouette slumped against the steering wheel. "God No!" Sam pleaded as he tried to get to his brother. He couldn't be dead—not after everything. The young hunter reached in through the broken window and quickly felt for a pulse. He breathed a sigh of relief when he felt one. "Okay Dean, you're going to be just fine…" Sam said more to assure himself than his unconscious sibling.

Suddenly the sound of large wings filled the night air. Sam reached for his gun but realized he wasn't carrying one. He looked into the back seat, but his duffle was missing. It was probably thrown from the car as well. A loud thud sounded on the car roof as the creature landed. Sam looked up into the red eyes of the beast and took in a quick breath.

"You can't be real…" Sam whispered as he backed slowly from the car. The being tilted its head and let out a blood curdling scream into the night air. Large bat-like wings beat the air angrily as the three foot monster moved closer to Sam. He'd read about it but never thought it was real. After all there hadn't been a sighting in years but then he should have known with Lucifer free, things like the Jersey Devil would become more active.

He had no idea what to do. He knew what he was facing, but as far as he knew there was no known way to kill it. He tried to remember what he'd read, but his head was still fuzzy from the crash. The one thing he seemed to remember was it didn't often kill humans—mostly livestock. For now it appeared to just be watching him. "Shoo!" Sam called out as he stepped closer, waving his good arm at the animal hoping to scare it off.

The beast screamed again and began to stamp its hoofed feet on the car roof. The car that his older brother now laid in unconscious. The car rocked dangerously as the animal continued to pound on the roof of the car. He had to get the beast away before it caused the car to slide the rest of the way down the hill; he couldn't let it hurt Dean any further. But he had no weapons and could barely move himself. He looked down at the walking stick he'd found and a plan began to form. He would lure it away.

"Come on you bastard—wanna play fetch?" Sam called out as he moved towards the monster again. This time he raised the heavy stick and aimed for the thin legs of the animal. But the stick met with only air as with a loud screech the monster rose into the air. Red eyes glared at Sam as it circled him before diving at him.

He dove but not before the hooves hit him in the middle of his back. Before he could stop, he found himself rolling down the rest of the incline. As he came to rest about twenty feet below the car, he groaned. The small stones and other debris had left him bruised but at least nothing else seemed to be broken. His shoulder however was complaining about the poor treatment. Sam stood and swayed slightly as the pain in his arm and head reminded him he wasn't fighting at a hundred percent.

The sound of wings filled the night again as he looked up to see the monster heading for him again. The head was shaped like a horse and the front arms appeared to be short and clawed. If it weren't for the fact the beast had managed to make them crash, he'd laugh at the way the creature had been constructed. It didn't look like it could cause much damage. But the sound it made was unearthly as it screamed into the night and it had already proven it unnatural strength. He had to find cover, had to lure it farther away from Dean. Taking an unsteady step, he winced as his ankle complained but held for now. "Okay you demonic son of a bitch—let's see how well you play follow the leader!"

Sam moved steadily further into the dense forest with the Jersey Devil hot on his heals. Maybe if he was lucky he could lose it and circle back around to help Dean. As he continued to move further into the woods he wondered at the sudden appearance of the beast. It couldn't be a coincidence. A memory niggled at the back of his mind, but he couldn't quite grasp it. It didn't really matter. Whatever happened to him, he'd accept it as due him for his own stupidity. He just hoped Dean would survive. If anyone deserved it—it was him.

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Dean looked around the car and saw signs that his brother had been here. As he looked closer he saw a large stick thrown to the side of the car. According to the footprints and the placement of the pointed end of the stick, it was clear his brother had been using it to walk. At least Sam had been able to walk. His gaze looked down the incline and he shuddered at the thought of his brother falling. The hillside was littered with stones and debris.

"Sammy!" Dean called out again as he circled the car and looked down where it looked like something large had fallen. "Hold on Sam, I'm coming!" Dean called as he turned back to the car. He glanced into the back seat but the duffle with Sam's weapons was missing. "Just great!" Dean slapped the side of the car but stepped back as it groaned and shivered before stilling. All he needed was for the car to roll and either crush him or hit Sam.

He fell to his knees as another wave of dizziness assaulted him. The headache that had been building since he woke up intensified. He couldn't stop the bile from rising this time as he finally got sick beside the dying hulk of car. As he finished the painful retching he sat back on his heals to catch his breath. As he looked up, he spotted the handle of Sam's bag sticking out from under a low bush.

He tried to stand, but once again black spots danced in front of his eyes. He couldn't give in, he had to find Sam. The injured hunter stood on unsteady legs and moved towards the bag. He stumbled more than once before with a sigh he managed to collapse beside the duffle. He looked up and saw the sun was higher in the sky than when he'd started. He'd lost too much time. As he reached for the zipper, his vision grew gray—his last thought as he slumped down next to the bag was about his brother.

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Bobby Singer paced at the entrance to the Boston Airport. As soon as the connection had been broken he'd high tailed it to catch the next plane to the east coast. Of course, he hadn't been able to bring any of his weapons or other tools of the trade which is why he was now pacing impatiently outside the busy airport.

A moment later a red pick up truck bounced to a stop in front of him. An older man with salt and pepper hair leaned over to roll down the window and call out. "Singer!"

"It's 'bout time you got here Jason!" Bobby grumbled as he opened the door and jumped into the cab. He glanced behind the seat and smiled when he saw the locked case. "Did you get what I asked for?"

"Yep, but I still don't believe you're hunting the Jersey Devil. I mean, that's right up there with big foot in the hunter's guide." Jason responded as he merged back into traffic.

"Yeah, and vampires aren't?" Bobby smirked as his old friend shrugged.

"Well, I didn't believe in them either at first." Jason smiled as he managed to merge into the traffic leading to the tunnel beneath the bay. "So you need help on this one? I mean, if you think there is really a Jersey Devil loose in the Pines, I'd be more than willing to take a few days off from the mill."

"Naw, you go back to your wife and kids. I've got this one. Besides, like you said—it might be a whole lot of nothing." Bobby turned to gaze at the dark entrance to the tunnel. He didn't want to say anything, but the thought of going through a small tunnel beneath a whole bay filled with water didn't thrill him overly much. The vision of rats drowning in a tunnel was too real—especially now that he knew Lucifer was free.

Jason chuckled as he entered the darkness. "Hold on Bobby—it won't be long before it's all over."

"That's what I'm afraid of…" Bobby replied.

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Sam sank down onto his knees, his breath coming in short gasps as he tried to figure out where the Jersey Devil had flown off to. He looked up at the sky and grinned as he realized dawn was breaking. Maybe the animal was nocturnal. It that was true, then he'd be able to rest a minute before returning to find Dean. He could see his breath in the early morning light as a shiver ran up his spine. It still got cold in the evenings this time of year. Right now, he wouldn't mind being in a nice warm bed.

The hunter tried to stand but winced as his ankle finally gave up. With a slight gasp of pain, he fell back down with a large grunt. "Perfect!" Sam grumbled as he reached forward to move his pant leg up. He knew his ankle was swelling from the tight feel of his boot but he didn't dare remove it for fear of not getting it back on. His injured arm hung painfully by his side as he tried to figure out a way to move without passing out.

After a few moments, the exhaustion he'd been holding at bay seized him. He fell sideways, his vision slowly going gray as he gave in to his body's need for rest. As he fell further into the darkness his mind force him back to the events of the day.

_Sam found himself back at the turnoff for the convent. He could hear Ruby pacing behind him—impatient as always. He could still hear the pounding from the poor woman in the trunk of the car. His heart went out to her. The confused hunter reached into his pocket and pulled out his cell phone. He looked down at the message light—his brother had called him._

_For a brief moment hope flared. Maybe Dean still wanted him—wanted to fight with him by his side as they finally killed the demon bitch that had made their lives a living hell. Ruby called for him to hurry but he had to do this one thing. He had to hear his brother's voice just to make sure. With a trembling finger he pushed the message button and listened._

"_Listen to me you blood sucking freak! Dad always said I'd have to either save you or kill you. Well I'm giving you fair warning—I'm done trying to save you. You're a monster Sam, a vampire—you're not you anymore and there's no going back…"_

"_NO!" Sam called out into the darkness as pain tore his heart into pieces. As he tried to fight against the hatred he heard in his brother's voice. It warred with the concern he'd seen in Dean's eyes when Lucifer was freed. But then, maybe his brother was just leading him on—taking him someplace to finish him off. Memories of the panic room emerged along with the fear he'd be confined again—alone with only his own mind to torment him._

"_Now I'm asking you for once—trust me…" Sam heard his own voice begging Dean to understand, to accept what he'd become._

"_No." Dean's face contorted with pain. "It's not something you're doing—it's what you are…" His brother stopped and swallowed, unwilling to say more. But Sam refused to leave it there._

"_Say it Dean…" Sam demanded._

"_You're a monster!" Dean replied._

"_No! Please Dean, I didn't mean any of it—I'm sorry!" Sam screamed but his brother didn't listen as he turned and faded from his sight. In his place he saw Ruby's triumphant face._

"_You've saved us Sammy—You've set him free…"_

"_No—I couldn't—I stopped it…" Sam pleaded once again in his mind. But the proof rose before him as a bright light seemed to pierce the darkness._

"_Thank you my son…" A voice echoed from the depth of the light. "You shall be rewarded…"_

"_NO!" Sam screamed once more as he dropped down onto the floor and covered his head. "I don't want anything—I couldn't have…" _

"_But you did Sam Winchester. You fulfilled your destiny and set me free at last…"_

Hazel eyes shot open and glared at the sun breaking through the trees. A shiver ran through his frame as tears gathered in his eyes. "I'm sorry Dean…" he whispered as he let his eyes close once more.

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Dean walked along the wooded path, his eyes searching for the tall form of his brother. The forest was unusually quiet as if it was holding its breath. He shrugged off the oppressive mood and continued to move forward. "Sammy!" He called for the hundredth time—and yet he still didn't receive an answer.

He gazed up at the blazing sun, amazed for a moment that the day felt just like any other. The soft spring breeze carried the scent of pine and decayed forest. It was almost peaceful.

"Help will come soon Dean…" Cas's voice sounded next to him causing the hunter to jump.

"I swear! Next pet store I come to I'm buying you a cat bell." Dean stopped and gazed at the rumpled figure beside him. "So you look good for someone who was set to stand up against heaven's army."

Cas shook his head as he continued. "Heaven is busy at the moment with other things…"

Dean shook his head. "Yeah, I imagine planning a war would take some time." He couldn't help the bitterness that seeped into his tone. "So how long before the world ends?"

"No one knows—it depends…" Cas replied.

"Great, care to share or are we back on the need to know crap…" Dean scuffed his foot against the dirt. When Cas remained silent he turned and finally asked the question he'd been wondering since the angel arrived. "So, how did you get out of there?"

"The Archangel and I came to—an understanding…" Cas simply replied. "But that is not why I'm here. I've come to let you know help is on the way."

"Help?" Dean gazed around the forest and for the first time realized he wasn't feeling any pain. "Right, this is a dream again…"

"It was the best way for me to reach you. But you must be careful. There are those who don't believe you are the one and even more that fear what your brother may become…"

"Wait—you're saying we've got both heaven and hell on our tails?" Dean had already guessed as much, but hearing it didn't make him feel better. He thought it was bad when they were on the FBI most wanted list. Leave it to Winchester Karma to make the same list in both Heaven and Hell.

"Yes" Cas remarked as he turned and looked at Dean.

"But I believe in you—and there is still hope Dean." Cas looked heavenward as if looking for something. "God still believes in you—and Sam."

"So Sam can be saved?" Dean stopped and looked directly at the angel.

"Anyone can be saved Dean—even a drowning man."

"Great, so how do I save Sam?" Dean asked as he placed his hand on the angel's shoulder. His green eyes daring Cas to lie to him. He stepped back as the angel looked down at his hand before responding.

"I do not know Dean—but I do know all is possible…"

"You know Cas, I've gotten better answers from a fortune cookie!" The exasperated hunter proclaimed.

"You need to wake up Dean—wake and go to your brother. He needs you…" Cas spoke before he disappeared once again.

"Easy for you to say! But how in the hell do I wake up!" Dean called into the silence of the forest but once again, he was left with no answer.

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Bobby pressed harder on the pedal as he checked the map one more time. He'd been on the road since Dean's call and was beginning to feel fatigued but he refused to give in; not while Dean and Sam were in trouble. He saw the sign telling him he was entering the Pine Barrens forest. It had to be the sign Dean had seen just before…

The experienced hunter was able to read the tell tale signs of a car going off the road. As he pulled the truck over to the side, he quickly stepped out and grabbed his duffle. He'd made sure there was a first aid kit along with his weapons and a few other things that might come in handy. The bag was heavy, but he didn't even notice as his eyes followed the car tracks over the edge of the steep hill. Even in the early evening light, he could tell this was where he'd find the car. He only hoped he would also find the boys.

It only took him a few moments before he saw the body of Dean Winchester sprawled face down next to a bush. He moved quickly, but carefully down the steep incline. He could also see what was left of an orange car as it rested against a pine tree. From the shape of the car, he was pretty sure the boys would be injured. He knelt down beside Dean and placed his fingers against the unconscious man's neck. A moment later he breathed a sigh of relief as he felt the steady and strong pulse.

"Dean?" Bobby said softly and he carefully turned the young man over. He could see the dried blood and the gash just beneath the hairline. Pulling out his canteen and a handkerchief, he quickly wiped as much of the blood from the boy's face as he could. The wound on Dean's head had clotted, but it would eventually need stitches. He grabbed the first aid kit and pulled out a couple of butterfly bandages along with a sterile dressing. It would have to do until he could get the boy to someplace safer.

Carefully Bobby began to run his hands down Dean's body, assessing any further damage. A soft grunt of pain sounded when he rubbed his hand over the boy's rib cage. He quickly pulled up Dean's shirt and whistled at the rainbow display of bruises. It was clear he'd hit the steering wheel with his chest. He could also see a deep bruise on the boy's shoulder, probably from the seat belt. "You are certainly a mess Dean…" Bobby said softly as he lowered the shirt. There was nothing much he could do for the ribs. From the feel of them, none appeared to be broken.

"Okay Dean, looks like we have bruised ribs and a concussion. So why don't you rest here while I go see what's up with that brother of yours…" Bobby used his own jacket to cover the unconscious man while he stood and headed down the hill towards the car. The light was quickly fading as he approached. "Sam?" Bobby called out as he peered inside the broken window of the car. But there was no sign of the youngest Winchester.

"Damn it!" Bobby looked back up at Dean's still form. He'd said Sam was with him, the question was had the boy left on his own or with help.

TBC

Raven524: Happy Independence Day to those who celebrate! In between picnics and fireworks, I managed to get another chapter done. So here you go! Thanks again to those who have reviewed and also thanks to those who are just reading along.


	3. Chapter 3 One Monster to Another

**When Tomorrow Comes**

**Chapter 3 – One Monster to Another**

Dean groaned as he felt something wet wiped across his forehead. He moved his hand to swat away the annoyance before he heard a gruff voice. "It's 'bout time you woke up you idjit."

"Bobby?" Dean blinked but quickly closed his eyes as the sun sent shafts of pain radiating through his skull. "Oh God…"

"Nope, just me kid. I'd ask how you're feelin' but I can see these pain killers would be more welcome." Dean felt something placed in his mouth. His upper body was gently lifted until he rested against a sturdy frame. A bottle was placed to his lips as cold liquid flowed into his mouth. He swallowed greedily.

"Take it slow Dean, don't need you throwing it back at me." Bobby's voice came from above him. The hunter winced as he forced his eyes to open once more. Fragments of his discussion with Cas came flooding back. "Sam—we gotta find Sammy…"

He heard a soft sigh above him. "I know Dean, but first we need to let you get your sea legs. Maybe I should take you to a hotel and come back…"

Dean didn't let his friend finish as he pushed himself up. For a moment the world spun around him, the feeling of strong arms around his waist was welcome as he stiffened his knees. The injured man took a deep breath and winced as his ribs reminded him about the argument he'd had with the steering wheel. But after a few moments, he was able to stand on his own two feet and glance back at the orange car. "I'm fine Bobby. Let's go find Sam."

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Sam shuddered as he opened his eyes. He looked around for a moment confused until he heard the scurry of small animals and the sound of birds in the trees overhead. He gazed up and noticed it was getting late. It would be dark soon and he had yet to find his way back to Dean. Sighing, he pushed himself up but staggered as his ankle refused to support his weight.

"Just freakin' great!" Sam pounded the ground with his good hand. He searched around and found a branch that he could use as a crutch. With the problem solved, the young hunter stood again and gazed around. It was obvious his run from the Jersey Devil had taken him a far pace from where he'd left Dean. He just hoped his brother was doing better than him.

The buzzing of insects mixed with the sound of the wind in the trees signaled the coming of night and with it probably his new friend. The question was if he went back towards the car, would the beast follow? Could he even make it back and up the embankment? "Fine mess, Dad would be so proud…" Sam muttered as he weighed his options.

He had to believe his brother was doing fine. When he'd left, Dean appeared to be a little beaten up but his pulse had been good. In fact, if he knew his older brother he was probably already cursing his younger brother for not being there when he woke up. "_You're a monster"_ Dean's voice whispered on the breeze.

"No…" Sam swayed, as he blinked; before him stood his brother, his face full of anger.

"_The blood doesn't make you strong Sam. It makes you weak—I told you, but you chose that bitch over me..."_ Sam stepped back, his head shaking in denial but his heart accepting the words of condemnation.

"No Dean, please—I'm sorry." Sam whispered as he moved away from his brother and the disapproval that marred his sibling's face.

"_I promised Dad Sammy. I promised him that I'd save you but I don't think I can anymore."_ Sam flinched as he saw his brother raise his favorite gun and point it at him. He could hear the soft click as his brother released the safety. Hazel eyes met green before looking down at the forest floor. There was no sense running. The young hunter accepted his fate as he watched his brother's finger press against the trigger.

Sam flinched but nothing happened. He opened his eyes and looked around. The sounds of insects and night animals filled the air but there was no sign of Dean. He reached up and ran a shaky hand through his hair before taking a deep breath. It was the panic room all over again. He was hallucinating while being lost in a forest with a monster on his trail. "Well, nice to know some things never change…" he sighed as he realized there was no way he'd make it back to his brother at this rate.

His father's voice echoed in his mind. _"Find a defensible position and wait for help."_ Of course, that was assuming help would even come. Right now Sam wasn't really sure if Dean would look for him. After all, he had let him know what he thought in the phone message he'd left. Maybe it would be better if Sam just disappeared.

A loud scream filled the night air followed by the sound of large wings. Sam looked around but there was no place for him to take a stand. He grabbed the branch he'd found earlier and began to move quickly deeper into the forest. The least he could do was lead the Jersey Devil away from his brother. If he ended up being killed, it wouldn't matter. In fact, it might save Dean from having to follow his father's final orders.

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Dean shook his head as they continued to track his brother through the dense forest. He could tell from the way his brother was moving, he was injured. He still couldn't figure out why his brother had left. He should have taken the time to talk more to him before—made him understand that he'd already forgiven his younger brother for what he'd done. Hell if he was honest, he was just as much to blame as Sam. Except as he replayed what he'd been told by Zach, his blood boiled. Sam never had a chance and neither had he. How could they stand against both heaven and hell?

"It's not your fault Dean…" Bobby interjected as he stopped and pulled out a bottle of water from his large back pack. He handed it to Dean before pulling out another one for himself.

"I should have known better than to trust them." Dean muttered as he let the wet liquid flow down his parched throat. His head was still pounding out a rhythm of its own but at least the dizziness had subsided. While they had been walking, he had filled Bobby in on what happened after he was locked in his gilded cage by the angels.

"Well son, I'm no expert, but as you said to me before—what choice did you have?" Bobby took the empty bottles and placed them back in his pack before he started off again.

"I don't know Bobby. But Zach said they were going to make sure Sam broke the final seal. I bet he was behind my extended stay downstairs as well." Dean shuddered as images filled his mind. Before they could take hold, he shoved them back. He was done worrying about what had happened while he'd been hell's bitch. From now on, he was going to focus on two things. First he'd find his stubborn little brother and make sure he was demon blood free. Then he was going to figure out a way to shove Lucy back into his cage. Not because he believed the crap the angels were selling, but because it was their mess and he would make sure they cleaned it up.

"So, you really think the Jersey Devil crashed the car?" Dean decided it was time to change the subject.

"It makes sense. The son of bitch always shows up and becomes more active when the crap hits the fan. Some believe that it appears when there is a major war brewin'—sound familiar?" Bobby paused and pulled his cap from his head. He wiped the sweat from his brow before replacing it. "Lucifer breaking loose probably stirred the damn thing up."

"Great, so any idea on how we kill the son of a bitch?" Dean asked as he continued to watch for any sign of his brother. The darkness was hampering their search but he refused to stop. He knew his brother was out here somewhere and he was going to find him.

"Well, I brought the exorcism that was used to expel it in the past. Iron rounds might work to slow it down, but no one knows for sure." Bobby remarked as he followed close behind.

"So you think this thing might be after Sam?" Dean finally voiced his fear. At first, he thought maybe Sam had taken off. But even at his worst, his brother wouldn't have left him injured. He had to believe his younger brother was still human but even if he wasn't he'd meant what he had said to the angels. He'd take his brother as is…

A loud scream echoed in the forest. Both hunters paused, green eyes met brown for a brief moment before they both began to move towards the source of the sound. "Guess that answers your question Dean." Bobby remarked as they hurried through the darkened forest.

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Sam winced as he put more pressure on his sore ankle. He could almost feel the hot breath of the monster as it bore down on him once more. He ducked as it flew over his head; a loud scream filled the night as it missed him yet again. For the past hour, he'd been dodging the ungainly beast. He wasn't sure what it wanted with him, it was almost like it was herding him. Every time he tried to turn back towards Dean, the beast would appear and attack.

"So you don't want me to go back, I get it. But what do you want?" Sam ground out as he slid down with his back against a large tree. He held the branch in front of him to use as a club should the Jersey Devil get too close. He wiped a hand across his sweating brow. What he'd give for a cool drink of water. He couldn't remember the last time he'd eaten or drank anything—at least anything other than demon blood.

"_You need to take it all Sammy. Drink her dry..."_ Ruby's voice filled his mind. He shook his head as he saw her form shimmer in front of him. The memory of him drinking the poor nurse's blood caused him to feel nauseous. Even though he'd only taken enough to increase his powers—the woman had still died. It didn't matter that she'd probably been dead before he had shown up. The fact remained; he had taken the blood of an innocent.

"_You were meant to be our savior Sammy. Why do you keep fighting? Let me help you."_ Sam backed against the tree as her hand reached forward to touch him. Where once he had taken comfort, now he only felt revulsion.

"Get away from me you bitch!" Sam screamed as he raised his hand and tried to send her back. He felt a small stirring of the power but she only laughed.

"_That tickles Sammy. You just don't have the juice anymore. If you want to get rid of me, you need to restock..."_ Ruby pulled her knife and ran it along her arm. The dark blood dripped down her pale arm. Sam licked his lips and leaned forward, the need so strong he almost gave in until he heard another voice. _"monster"_ Dean's voice broke through the haze as the young hunter pulled back.

"No, I won't do it any more." Sam panted as he felt his body shake.

"_You turned yourself into a monster—there's no going back Sammy. You did it for me and for Lucifer. He'll reward you Sammy, wait and see."_ Ruby's smiling face was inches from his own.

"NO!" Sam shoved at the woman and stood. He began to move as quickly as his body would allow. He had to get away from the demon, away from that life, away from…

A sharp blow to his back sent the young hunter reeling. As he fell, he felt something large land on his back, a sharp pain raced through his body as the feeling of claws ripped through his shirt to the skin beneath. Sam rolled until he dislodged the monster from his back. He turned and saw the monster standing a few feet from him, its red eyes looking at him as if it understood something he had only just realized.

"We're both monsters…" Sam whispered as he slowly lost consciousness.

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

"We've lost the trail Dean. If we keep going, we're gonna miss him in this darkness. We need to stop and make camp." Bobby placed a restraining hand on Dean's shoulder.

"No, I have to find him. You don't understand Bobby, he's really messed up." Dean brushed the arm aside as he continued to walk through the night.

"I understand that you're still fighting a concussion and bruised ribs. I also understand that you need to rest if you want to take on the Jersey Devil and save Sam." Bobby stopped and began to roll out one of the sleeping bags he'd taken with. "Now you can either come over here and sit while I fix us some dinner or I can put another dent in that thick skull of yours."

"You wouldn't dare!" Dean huffed as he gazed at the grizzled hunter. But after a moment of looking into Bobby's determined face, he decided he didn't want to find out. Wearily Dean sank down onto the sleeping bag. His headache had been slowly getting worse and the truth was his vision was getting bleary again. He knew he needed rest, but the thought of Sam still alone in the woods with a monster was almost enough to get him to his feet again.

"I said sit." Bobby pushed down on Dean's good shoulder before he handed him another bottle of water and two pills.

"I have to find him Bobby…" Dean tried once more as he swallowed the offered pills. As the bottle was taken from him, he felt himself lowered gently to the ground.

"I know kid. I know. But right now you need to rest. I'll keep watch…" Dean never heard the end of the sentence as he drifted off to sleep.

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Bobby threw more wood on the small fire he had built. He looked over at the sleeping Winchester and smiled at how young he still looked. Both boys were too young to be dealing with this crap. He kept thinking if there was a way to kill an angel, he'd do it just for the satisfaction. His gaze strayed towards the woodland beyond the fire's blaze. The youngest Winchester was still out there, probably injured and hurting. He knew Sam would feel the guilt for what he'd done and like Dean, he was afraid of what the youngest Winchester would do. Self sacrifice ran deep in the Winchester clan. If Sam felt he would be saving his brother, he'd allow himself to be killed. There was no doubt in Bobby's mind that the kid still loved his brother. His only doubt came from whether or not the kid would be able to forgive himself.

He rubbed his head where the gun barrel had hit him. The last time he'd seen Sam, the boy had been in rough shape. He couldn't even imagine what was going through his head right now. What was worse, the boy probably was going through withdrawal again only this time he wasn't safe. The old hunter shuddered at what it would do to Dean if Sam couldn't be saved.

"There is always hope…" A voice spoke softly next to him. Bobby jumped as he saw a figure enter the light. The trench coat had seen better days, but from Dean's description it could only be…"Cas?"

"Yes, I have come to help you find Sam." The angel moved towards Dean's still form and looked down. Bobby swore he saw guilt flash over the angel's face.

The hunter stood with his arms crossed. "Well excuse me for saying this—but aren't you a bit too late?"

Bobby watched as the angel sighed and turned to face him. "I thought I was following my father's plan. I was told it was necessary for God's plan to unfold. When they took me back—I thought I'd been wrong to follow Dean. My heart told me he was right, but my head refused to listen."

"Wait, so you knew this was going to happen?" Bobby looked down at Dean and was thankful he'd remained asleep.

"Yes, some of it; enough that I should have told Dean but I believed that it was necessary for him to fulfill his destiny. However now…" Castielle looked unsure. Bobby shook his head. It was clear the angel felt bad about what had happened and yet he couldn't get past the unfairness of it all.

"And what about Sam? That poor boy fought against what that yellow eyed son of a bitch did to him all his life. But that didn't count for nothin' with you and your so called holy army. Instead of supporting him, you tore him down. You could have let us know what he was doing before he got in so deep. But no, you all wanted this war. Well now you got it and it ain't the Winchester's who are to blame for it all." Bobby stood back expecting to be struck down for daring to stand up to the angel in front of him. He was totally unprepared for the response he received.

"You are right Bobby Singer."

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Sam grunted as he opened his eyes to a world of pain. His back was on fire, his arm hurt and his ankle felt like it was going to fall off. He pushed himself up and wrapped his long arms around his legs as he tired to generate some heat. He was so cold. His gaze looked around the quiet woods. There was no sign of the Jersey Devil. Maybe it had gotten tired and moved on to torment someone else.

He noticed the walking stick he'd been using was lying not too far away. He crawled over and grabbed the large branch before he used it to try to stand. But his body wasn't listening any longer. The most he could manage was to move closer to one of the larger trees. He winced as his sore back rubbed up against the bark. He leaned forward slightly to take the pressure off the wounds. Just as he was thinking about sinking back into the darkness he heard the sound of large wings.

He gazed up and saw the Jersey Devil land a few feet from him. If the beast was going to finish him, there was nothing he could do. His body was already shutting down on him. "Well, you've got me—now what?"

The beast tilted its head and gazed at him. "What nothing to say?" Sam laughed softly. He knew the story of the Jersey Devil.

"You know, we have a lot in common you and I." Sam began talking as he slipped back against the tree. His back complained but he no longer cared. "Your mother made a deal with a demon that resulted in you being transformed into a monster. I wonder if she really wanted that to happen?" Sam remembered that in one legend the witch had cursed her 13th child and declared it would be a demon.

The monster stepped forward slightly but appeared to be listening to the young hunter. Sam continued. "I mean, you were born normal but you changed into this against your will. Sure you killed, but you couldn't help it could you? I guess that makes you better than me huh?"

Sam watched as the beast seemed to settle in front of him. Its red eyes fixed on him as he continued to talk. "You didn't have a choice, but I did. I could have stopped what happened if only I'd made the right choices."

"_I lead you and you made the right choice every time Sammy"_ Ruby's voice mocked him.

"Yeah, even Chuck tried to warn me. Hell, nothing good ever came from a demon—why would I think Ruby was any different?" Sam couldn't believe how gullible he'd been. The fact that Dean was gone shouldn't have mattered. He chose to be with Ruby, he chose to let her feed him her blood and he even chose to follow her instead of his own brother.

The sound of wings brought him back to the present. "Yeah, you got the raw end of the deal—but at least you can live with the fact you had no choice. It would serve me right if you killed me…"

"_No one will kill you my son. You have done what you were designed to do…"_ Sam jumped at the unnatural voice coming from the monster standing in front of him.

"What—who the hell are you!" Sam rasped.

"_I'm the one who was wrongly imprisoned for thousands of years. I was falsely accused and judged but you have freed me. For that I am in your debt Samuel Winchester."_

"Oh God…" Sam gasped as he backed further against the tree. His pain forgotten as he looked into the eyes of true evil.

A soft throaty laugh filled the night air. _"Not quite…"_

TBC

Raven524: Sorry for the delay, but RL got in the way again. Here is the latest chapter in the story. A big thanks to everyone who left me a review. I enjoyed them all! Also thanks to all those who are reading! I hope you continue to enjoy the story.


	4. Chapter 4 A Kinder Gentler Demon

**When Tomorrow Comes**

**Chapter 4 – A Kinder Gentler Demon**

Sam pushed himself up straighter as he gazed at the Jersey Devil. "Wait, you can't be…"

"Why not Samuel? I know it's not my usual visage but then you would be blinded if I appeared to you in my true form. Many say I was one of God's most beautiful angels once." A soft sigh emanated from the monster's lips. "But for our little chat, I've borrowed my friend here."

"What do you want from me?" Sam asked as he tried to get his head around the fact that he was talking to Lucifer. Any moment now he expected to see unicorns flying over head with rainbows shooting out of their asses. He had just gotten used to angels being real, but this…

"Yes, I know it's hard to understand my son…"

"Stop calling me that!" Sam ground out. "John Winchester was my father not some demon spawn…"

A soft laugh filled the night again. "Well, you got me there Samuel. But since I created the first human demon, monsters like you all basically came from me. Besides I could use someone to replace Lillith, care to apply for the position?"

"I'll never follow you…" Sam tried to stand but his body refused to obey. He lifted his hand to his shoulder, wondering if the tattoo would prevent Lucifer from taking over his body. The thought of being possessed by him caused the young hunter to shudder. But he refused to show fear; he was after all a Winchester.

"Relax Samuel; I have no need for your vessel. I have already selected another who is willing to serve me. He has been one of my most faithful followers." The Jersey Devil moved a little closer.

"Many think I hate humans, but I really don't. You are fascinating creatures full of wonderful vices. The emotions are refreshing here unlike what is allowable with the so called angels. No, I couldn't stand to be stifled and for that I was cast out to suffer the indignity of a cage. I who only wanted to experience what you take for granted and hurt no one—I would think your friend Zachariah has done more to harm humans than me or any of my followers." The Jersey Devil shook its head.

"You and your followers have done enough damage. Forgive me if I don't believe you are the injured party here…" Sam gasped as the creature put its face almost next to his own. He could smell the rotted breath and had all he could do not to gag.

"Ah, but soon you will learn to accept me Samuel. I have big plans for you my son. You had no problem believing in Ruby's good intentions. The little demon was no where near my stature but in the end turned out to be one of the best I'd ever made. She too had her doubts before she accepted what I had to offer but soon she saw the error of her ways."

"Yeah, that worked out well for her. Both of your most loyal supporters are now dead. Believe me, there is nothing you could offer me…" Sam began.

"Not even the life of your brother or even your friend Bobby?" The Jersey Devil backed up and looked thoughtful for a moment before it continued. "Come on Samuel, how about a trade? Your soul for your brother's safety; it's not like your family hasn't done it before. Your father traded for Dean and he did it turn did it for you. It's your turn up at bat--now its time for you to return the favor. I mean, you're already past redemption here—no one will forgive you once they know what you've done. After all, you single handedly cursed the human race. Do them a favor and save your brother from the heartache of having to kill you himself."

Sam swallowed as he watched the creature standing in front of him. In his mind he thought back to how it had felt when Dean had made the deal for him. He also remembered how destroyed his big brother had been when their father made his own bargain. Then of course there was the lesson he was taught by the Trickster when he made Sam watch his sibling die over and over again. All of it ending with Ruby's revelation that he'd been responsible for letting Lucifer free. No, he'd learned his lesson. Demons weren't to be trusted.

"No thanks, I think we'll take our chances." Sam took a deep breath and slowly pushed himself upright. The forest spun for a moment but he didn't care. He would meet his death standing and facing the being he had let loose on the world. The demon had one thing right—he was to blame and he would accept the consequences. However he would die with his soul in tact; he owed his brother that much.

"Brave words, now. But we'll see how long you can stick to your convictions…" The words sent a chill down Sam's spine but he refused to let the being in front of him see how badly he was being affected. He clenched his trembling hands into fists as he tried to keep his body from collapsing in front of his foe.

"So what happens now?" Sam finally asked as his energy level waned. He wouldn't be able to remain standing much longer.

"Now I think I'll head to a nice Italian Restaurant for a glass of wine, some excellent pasta and a willing companion. After all, it has been a long time since I've been top side." Sam could have sworn he saw the Jersey Devil smile. He blinked as the beast shook its wings and began to turn from him.

"But the apocalypse…" Sam couldn't help but ask. After all, it was his doing that started it. He wondered how soon the war would begin. The creature stopped and turned to face him once more. The red eyes seemed to glow brighter for a brief moment. Sam listened, but there were no night sounds, even the trees had stopped their whispers on the wind. It was almost as if the world was waiting for the answer.

"Oh yes, that's right. The angels told you I'd destroy the world. But let me ask you Sammy, why would I want to get rid of such a wonderful playground? I mean, there is enough here to keep me entertained for some time I think. Why would I want to bring hell here to this lovely place? All I want is to be free Samuel. Is that too much to ask?"

Sam shook his head. None of this made any sense. There was supposed to be an epic battle, fire was supposed to reign from the skies and the earth should shudder from the presence of Lucifer. It had to be a trick. "I'm—I mean we're going to find a way to stop you…" Sam whispered. The angels had been right about one thing; Dean would be the one to stop the monster he'd released. But would Dean ever trust him enough to watch his back? The forest began to sway as his vision tunneled in and out. He could feel the unnatural heat radiating from his body.

"Ah well, as I said we'll see Samuel. We'll see…" The Jersey Devil moved back further and flapped its wings. "But for now, I think I'll leave you with my friend here. He's getting a bit impatient and wants to play. We'll talk again Samuel…"

With a loud screech the monster flapped its wings and disappeared into the night. Sam's knees finally buckled; his body no longer able to obey his commands. He gazed up into the night sky and wondered how long it would be before the demonic creature would decide to return. Hopefully dawn would break before it came to play some more. He wasn't sure how much more his body would take. As the world turned dark, he looked for the one person he had not right to ask anything more of. "Dean…I'm sorry" Sam's voice floated on the breeze but there was no answer.

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

"Cas?" Dean blinked as he tried to focus on the figures sitting by the camp fire. He rubbed his eyes and glanced at his watch. He'd been asleep for about two hours.

"Yes, I have come to help." Castiel replied softly as he stood and moved towards the injured hunter.

Bobby also stood and knelt beside Dean. A hand was placed on his forehead for a brief moment while the older hunter looked into his eyes. "Good, looks like your concussion is getting better. How do you feel?"

"I'm fine—was fine before too!" Dean groused as he slowly stood. He felt a brief moment of dizziness and his ribs still hurt, but he definitely felt better than when he'd been forced to take a nap.

"Is he always this grouchy when he wakes?" Castiel said as he looked at Bobby.

"Only when he hasn't had his coffee. Hold on, I've got a pot brewing." The older hunter moved quickly to the fire and poured a cup. Dean took a sip before he looked around the camp site.

"Thanks Bobby…." He reached down and rolled up the sleeping bag he'd been using. "So Cas, do you know where Sam is?"

The angel shrugged his shoulders before he turned to look into the distance. "I can't be sure, but I feel that we should head in this direction."

"You think? Can't you get your angel mojo working a little better Cas?" Dean helped Bobby put out the fire and get the rest of the gear ready. How could an angel of the Lord not know where to find their missing member?

"I can no longer sense Sam. Things have--changed—I am no longer one of the chosen." Castiel's shoulders slumped slightly before he turned and seemed to gather himself. Dean was almost afraid to ask what the angel meant. Just as he was going to follow up and find out what exactly was going on with God's warrior Castiel began to speak.

"However I can sense something else…" Cas looked skyward for a moment before he began to walk quickly into the forest. "This way, quickly."

"What do you think?" Bobby whispered.

"I think he can hear you even if you whisper." The young hunter ducked as his mentor's cap swiped at his retreating back. "Seriously, I don't know Bobby. But we'll figure out what happened to him after we find Sammy. We better follow him. Even if he's lost some of his mojo, I'm betting he has an idea where to start looking."

Dean quickly fell in behind Castiel with Bobby bringing up the rear. As they walked the hunter thought about what the guardian angel could have meant. It was obvious more had gone down than just a discussion with the Archangel. In fact, he was willing to bet the heavenly visitor had been demoted in some fashion. The question was how far had Cas fallen? Would it be like with Anna—a fugitive to be hunted and killed because he broke ranks?

He stopped as Castiel held up his hand. The angel of the Lord seemed to gaze skyward for a moment before turning and heading in a new direction. His steps seemed to grow faster as the hunters increased their pace to keep him in their sights. "Hey, what's the rush? Do you know where Sammy is?" Dean asked quietly. He didn't want to alert anything that they might be coming.

Castiel turned and gazed at him for a moment before he answered. "There is evil close by. I can only assume that if we find it—we will find your brother." Without another word, the angel turned and began to move away.

Dean shuddered. What if the evil Castiel sensed was his brother?

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Sam shuddered as he opened his eyes and looked out into the darkness of the forest. As he tried to focus he wondered had it just been yesterday that he'd been convinced he was the only one who could save his brother and the world from the impending war? The silence that surrounded him mocked him as he fought his way back to the conscious world. It was clear he was alone again—but then he didn't deserve to be around anyone. If fact, he was now a danger to those he had fought so hard to protect.

Gordon had the right idea. He had become a monster to kill what he felt was the one who would bring around the end. In hindsight, the man had been more right than any of them could have guessed. Yet he retained enough of himself that he knew in the end, he'd have to kill himself. A soft laugh escaped his dry cracked lips. As he looked down, he once again saw the sign of his failure, black veins once again appeared on his skin—the demon blood now a part of him would never be purged. He had become a monster.

"I told you, you're no better than the filthy things you hunt…" Gordon stood in front of him.

The young hunter hung his head. He couldn't deny what the man was saying. Even Dean had called him a monster. "I didn't know, I thought I was doing the right thing—I was trying to save…"

"Doesn't change the facts, you made the choices, you opened the door and you became what your father always knew you'd become…" Gordon moved closer, his eyes glittered in the moonlight. "He should have killed you when he had the chance."

The sound of wings in the night caused the injured man to blink. He turned and saw he was once again alone on the forest floor. His gaze moved skyward as the night sky was filled with a horrific cry. The monster was back.

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

All three hunters looked up as a loud wailing filled the night. "What the hell?"

Bobby pulled out his shotgun and began to move faster. "Jersey Devil—gotta be!"

The men moved quickly towards the sound. A moment later a cry of pain was heard. "SAMMY!" Dean cried as he surged forward, his own gun raised. He broker through the tangled underbrush and stopped at the sight before his eyes. A large beast was perched on Sam's back. His brother had rolled himself into a tight ball, his arm protecting his head as the Jersey Devil tore at the skin on his exposed back. There was almost nothing left of his shirt, blood welled from the open wounds as his brother continued to try to protect himself.

"Get off him you son of a bitch!!" the enraged hunter cried as he surged forward and took aim. The first shot hit the creature in the back but still it continued to tear at his brother. "I thought you said consecrated iron would work!" Dean shouted as he turned the gun around and used it to hit the monster hoping to dislodge it. Finally after the second hit, the Jersey Devil rose into the sky. Another gun shot filled the air and the beast plummeted to the ground.

"Hit the damn wings!" Bobby called out as he reloaded and took aim once again. Dean quickly turned and blasted a large hole in the other wing as the Jersey Devil struggled to rise. Castiel quickly moved forward and placed his hand over the head of the beast and closed his eyes. A final loud shriek filled the night as the Jersey Devil twisted beneath the power of the angel. The hunters watched as the monster disappeared before their eyes.

Dean moved quickly towards his fallen brother. Sam's form shuddered, his arm still closed over his head. "Sammy?" the older man said softly. He didn't want to startle his younger sibling. He watched as his brother continued to shake, he could tell by the way he was curled that his wasn't aware of his presence yet. "Sam?" Dean tried once again before he gently reached forward and began to pull down his arm. He needed to see his brother's eyes to assure himself that Sam was still with him.

"D'n?"a soft voice whispered.

"Hey, take it easy. Looks like you've managed to let the fugly bat thing get a piece of you." He didn't like the way his sibling was shaking. It was clear Sam's shoulder was out of joint and a quick look also showed a badly swollen ankle.

Sam's hand moved up and grabbed him. "It's you…"

"Well who else would tramp through the woods to save your freaky rear end?" Dean pulled Sam towards him to get a better look at the wounds on his back. He sucked in a breath at the damage he saw. It was going to take more than a few stitches to get his brother fixed up. A moment later Bobby knelt down and placed a hand on Sam's shoulder. Dean noticed his brother flinch and look down, a soft sigh escaped his lips.

Bobby looked at Dean, his eyes filled with tears that didn't fall. It was clear Sam was uncomfortable around the older hunter. Their friend cleared his throat before he spoke softly to the injured young man. "You'll come back home Sam."

Dean watched as Sam sighed before he looked up. He didn't like the emptiness that filled the hazel eyes that blinked as they tried to focus. "M'sorry…"

"You don't owe me no apologies you idgit." Bobby remarked as he reached into his pack and pulled out a bottle of water. He held the bottle out and smiled as the young man took the offering with a soft "Thanks".

Dean stood and looked around and frowned. He'd been so focused on Sam he had totally forgotten about Castiel. "Hey Bobby? Where did…"

"I don't know, one minute he was getting rid of the New Jersey Devil and the next he was gone." Bobby shrugged. "Good riddance if you ask me…"

Dean raised his eyebrow at his friends comment. He understood his mentor's attitude to some extent, but the angel had tried to help in the end. Besides, he was sure that there was more to Cas's story regarding his battle with the Archangel. He was brought back from his musings as he felt his brother tilt sideways. "Whoa, stay with me Sammy…"

"We need to get him out of here. The truck I brought has room in the back. We can make him comfortable and head for a hotel to fix him up." Bobby remarked as he helped steady the injured man.

"Forget the hotel Bobby, he's gonna need a hospital…" Dean was startled when Sam pushed him back and struggled to stand.

"NO! No hosp'tl" With a soft cry Sam swayed and would have fallen if Bobby and Dean hadn't grabbed him to steady him.

"Look Sam, I know you don't like hospitals, but this arm and your ankle should be xrayed…"

"I can't—I don't know…" Sam swallowed before he continued. "What if they can tell?"

Dean looked at Bobby who shrugged. "Tell what Sammy?"

Sam's head hung down as he whispered. "They'll know I'm a monster."

Raven524: Well I am on vacation, but managed to break away long enough to finish this update. Hope you all continue to enjoy it!


	5. Chapter 5 The Monster You Know

**When Tomorrow Comes**

**Chapter 5 – The Monster You Know**

It seemed as if it took forever to get the ailing Winchesters back to the truck. Bobby took most of Sam's weight to give Dean some relief for his ribs. The youngest hunter had managed to remain semi-conscious, but from the heat radiating off him and the constant shudders going through his frame it was clear he was past the end of his rope.

"Almost there Sammy." Dean encouraged as he tightened his grip around his brother's waist. Bobby had his brother's good arm over his shoulders as they staggered up the final hill towards the borrowed truck.

"No Hsp'tl" Sam muttered as he faltered and once again almost fell to his knees.

"Sammy, stop struggling. We'll go to the hotel and check things out okay." Dean grunted as Sam's arm jabbed his tender ribs. He felt his brother slump as he finally lost his battle to remain awake. "Bobby…" Dean grunted as he struggled to keep his unconscious sibling from falling.

"I've got him. Grab the sleeping bags from my pack and then we'll get him to the hotel." Bobby took the unconscious hunter's full weight while Dean quickly did as he was asked. A few minutes later, he helped pull his brother into the truck bed. He heard the sharp rap on the side of the vehicle before the sound of the engine filled the night.

Dean looked down at the dark head resting on his lap. Even unconscious, his brother's frame continued to tremble. They had managed to place a quick dressing on the worst of the damage from the Jersey Devil, but he knew there was more going on than just injuries. His brother was going through withdrawal again. Castiel's words echoed through his mind as he pulled Sam closer. "In order to kill Lillith, he'll have to drink enough demon blood to change him—forever. Maybe even into something you'll want to kill."

"No, we'll fix this Sammy." He'd meant every word he'd said—he'd take Sam as he was. A soft groan was followed by unfocused hazel eyes as they hit a rut in the road.

"D'n? Ssssorryyy" His gaze dropped and his eyes began to close.

"Shhh…we'll be at the hotel soon." Dean watched as his brother's eyes slowly blinked a few more times before they closed. He wasn't even sure Sam was aware it was really him. From the reaction back in the forest it was clear his brother was hallucinating again. He didn't want him to go through that again. But what choice did they have? It was clear the more blood Sammy consumed, the further from human he'd become. He still couldn't cross that line. There had to be a way to wean him from the crap.

He felt the truck jerk and soon saw Bobby's face as he dropped the tailgate. "I'm going to get us registered, how's he doing?"

"He's going through withdrawal again…" Dean's voice hitched. The last time had been unbearable but this time he had to wonder if his brother would even survive.

The older man sighed and wiped a hand down his face. "One thing at a time Dean. We'll get him home and try to figure something out. Maybe your friend Cas can shed some light on how to help him."

"He's got his own problems—besides, I'm through with Zach's Angels, they're just as bad as the rest." Dean clenched his fist but stopped as another soft moan came from his brother.

"Hey Sammy, we're at the hotel. Do you think you can wake up long enough for us to get you inside?" Hazel eyes blinked and looked around before landing on the older siblings face. A soft sigh was followed by another tremor as his brother struggled to push himself up.

"You okay?' Sam's voice croaked as Dean helped him sit up.

"I'm not the one who's looking like road kill Dude. What were you thinking wandering off like that?" Dean watched as his sibling glanced away. He sighed as he realized his anger was part of what had gotten them to this point. He placed a hand on the uninjured shoulder and squeezed. "I'm sorry Sammy…"

"What for?" Sam said as he looked back up. He groaned as a more violent shudder went through his frame. For a moment the older hunter thought he was going to black out again but his brother managed to keep his eyes open.

"I shouldn't have told you to leave—I should have fought harder for you…" Dean said as he began to move them towards the end of the truck bed. He felt a tug at his arm and was surprised when he was met with angry hazel eyes.

"Not your fault! They were my choices, my mistakes. You tried to help me but I wouldn't listen." Sam took a shuddered breath. "You were right Dean…argh" Sam curled as another tremor shook his weakened frame before he continued. "I deserve whatever happens…."

Dean shook his head. "We're both at fault Sammy but we can talk about that later. Right now we need to get you inside so I can get a better look at those wounds. We'll work it out. I meant what I said, we're brothers and nothing is gonna change that."

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

It had taken Bobby and Dean over an hour to clean and bandage the damage that had been done to the youngest member's back. The shoulder had been popped back in and was now being iced to reduce the swelling. They had discussed taking the risk of a local clinic to get an

x-ray of Sam's ankle, but decided to wait until they were closer to home. Doctors would ask questions that they just couldn't answer right now.

"So how are we going to get back to your place?" Dean asked as he rubbed a weary hand across his forehead. The Impala was back in South Dakota and the truck, while big enough if Sam were feeling better; wouldn't allow his brother the space to rest on the long journey.

"We could fly…" Bobby grinned as the oldest Winchester turned a shade paler.

"Sure and we could also beam up to the Star Ship Enterprise but I don't see Scotty anywhere around so I guess we'll just have to come up with another way to get Dorothy here back to Kansas." The older sibling glanced at the bed as another low moan filled the room. It was clear Sam was not resting easily.

"Okay, you wait here and try to rest while I try to find us another mode of transportation."

The oldest hunter paused and gently laid a hand on Dean's shoulder. "We'll figure it out Dean, all of it…"

Dean moved over to the figure on the bed and sighed as he saw the sweat and tremors; a sure sign that his sibling was full into withdrawal. If he could, he'd love to resurrect Ruby and kill her all over again. He remembered the brief look in his brother's eyes when he'd stabbed the demonic witch. He'd held her but as her body fell, it was clear Sam was expecting the knife to strike him next. Ever since his father's death, it seemed that his little brother had expected him to be the one to strike the fatal blow.

"I can't do it Sammy. I meant it when I told you, I'd save you. I know I've screwed it up; hell, both of us have been used. We never had a chance; it was just too big…" A lone tear fell down the pale cheek before green eyes hardened. "But I promise you, we won't be anyone's bitch again. From now on, it's you and me. We'll face the son of bitches together."

Dean jumped as he felt a hand grasp his arm. He gazed down and saw hazel eyes blinking. "D'n?"

The older hunter smiled as he placed a hand on the uninjured shoulder. He gave it a slight squeeze before he reached for the glass of water they'd left on the night stand. "Do you think you can drink some of this?"

"D'n—sssooorryyyffff" The pain and fear in his little brother's eyes caused him to sigh. He wished he could tell Sam that it wasn't his fault or that he could fix it, but he couldn't. Sammy had made some bad decisions; he chose to believe in a demon, he chose to drink the demon blood. Down deep, Dean also understood the reasons that the choices were made were good. He still didn't believe his brother to be evil. No, it was clear they had been played; had they both had their heads on straight, it wouldn't have happened. But the big brother in him needed to ease the pain he saw in those eyes.

"Shhhh…we'll talk once you're feeling better. Bobby's gone to find us some transportation and then we'll head back to his place…" Sam blinked away the tears that had gathered in his eyes. He looked down at his hands for a moment before he squared his shoulders and looked back up.

"You should leave me Dean. He'll be after me, hell I may even be one of them or worse." A tremor coursed through his brother's frame. He could see him lick his dry lips before he continued. "You can't save me this time Dean…"

The hunter stood and began to pace. He could sense his sibling's eyes following him as he tried to get his anger under control. There had been too much anger between them lately. It was time to figure out a way to repair the damage, not cause more. A soft groan made him pause and sit back down on the bed. He grabbed his brother's hand and held it in his own.

It was warm, too warm due to the fever. But when he placed his finger on the pulse point, he could feel the heart beat. He wasn't sure what the demon blood had done to his stubborn sibling, but he did know Sam was still in there. "No, I'm not leaving you and before you ask, I'm not going to kill you either."

"You won't have to Dean, once the other hunters find out—they'll do it for you. I don't want you in the cross fire. This was my doing, not yours. Please---I can't—I won't…" Sam's breath hitched as more tears flowed down his too pale face. "I won't watch you die again because of me."

"Who said anything about dying here bitch?" Dean opted for his old tone. It was time he started to return to the role he'd had since Sam was six years old. "I say we get you better and then go out and kick some demon ass."

A soft sigh escaped his brother's lips as his eyes slowly began to close. "You just won't throw in the towel will you?"

"Nope, and you're not going to either. Now get some sleep. I don't want to have to carry your gigantor body all the way back to South Dakota." He saw a soft smile form on his baby brother's face before hazel eyes finally closed. He waited a few moments to make sure Sam would fall off to sleep before he stood and moved to his own bed.

He knew if he was going to be any good to Sam, he had to give his own injuries a brief rest. His head was still killing him and his ribs constantly reminded him they didn't like moving around. He checked to make sure his knife was in position before he sighed and closed his eyes. Hopefully by the time Bobby returned, Sam would be feeling better. The sooner they put this area in their rear view mirror, the more he'd like it.

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Sam groaned as he became aware once more of the various injuries he'd sustained. His back was on fire, his shoulder was stiff and his ankle throbbed with each beat of his heart. But none of it compared to the wounds he had inflicted through his own stupidity and stubbornness. He gazed over at the figure sleeping in the other bed. Even after everything he'd done, Dean still forgave him.

The problem though wasn't Dean, it was everyone else. He knew it wouldn't be long before they'd have to worry about other hunters like Gordon who only viewed things in black and white. He'd let Lucifer out, that would make him evil in most of their minds and something to kill. Even those who might just view him as a fool, once they heard about him ingesting demon blood—they'd soon join the bandwagon for his hide.

Then there were the demons and angels. Both sides would have a reason to hunt him down. He shuddered as he remembered the words spoken by the Jersey Devil. It appeared that Lucifer still wanted him on his team. For that reason alone, the angels would most likely be gunning for him. There was no place that will be safe for him or anyone that traveled with him.

Sam pushed himself up and sat on the edge of the bed. The room swam alarmingly as he tried to get himself up so he could head to the bathroom. After a few attempts he finally managed to get himself upright, but as soon as he put any weight on his ankle, it buckled. With a loud grunt, he hit the ground. Pain erupted from his shoulder as he used his hands to break the fall. He lay there on the dirty carpet, trying to breathe through the pain until he felt a gentle hand on his back.

"Jeez Sammy, all you had to do was call out. Let me help you." Dean didn't wait but merely pulled him to his feet. A soft grunt caused Sam to look closer at his brother. He could see the bloody gash on his head and from the way he was holding his ribs, it was clear he was injured as well.

"I've got it!" Sam ground out more harshly than he intended. He knew his added weight was causing his brother pain. He heard the quickly indrawn breath followed by the absence of the supporting hand. Suddenly, he felt too alone—he needed the contact. Before Dean could move further away he reached back and grabbed his brother's arm. "M'sorry—I just—I…"

"What Sam? You have to tell me what you want, I think that last crash dented my Obi-wan powers—so you have to give me a clue here." Dean's arm once more went around Sam's waist to steady him. Sam placed his arm over his older sibling's shoulder and simply nodded towards the bathroom.

"Do you need me to help you or can you do it yourself from here?" Dean asked quietly as he helped Sam into the small bathroom.

"M'fine Dean, just…" Sam paused; he wasn't used to having to spell things out for his older brother. But then, a lot of things had changed and he didn't want there to be any more misunderstandings.

"What Sammy…" Dean paused outside the door. He watched as his brother ran a hand through his short cropped hair before looking up at him. He could see the hurt in the green eyes and knew he'd been the one to put it there.

"Can you help me back once I'm done? My ankle…" Sam sighed. He didn't want to aggravate Dean's injuries, but he knew he'd hurt his brother more by not letting him help.

Dean smiled before he turned away. "Just call when you're ready. I think Bobby left you some of that sports drink you like. I'll get some ready for you to drink when you get done." Sam smiled softly as he heard his brother head out into the room. It was clear his sibling was willing to try to mend fences, he would as well. Starting with telling Dean the truth from now on no matter how bad it made him look. After all, how much worse could he do than letting Lucifer run free?

Sam quickly finished and stopped to run cool water over his face and hands. He gazed up into the mirror, almost afraid of what he'd see. The pale and worn face staring back at him was a testimony to how badly he'd screwed up. The dark shadows under hazel eyes spoke of his exhaustion. He could still feel the weakness his dependence on demon blood had caused. Even now he craved it but there was no way he would give in again. He'd die first.

"Did you fall in or what?" Dean's concerned voice filtered through the doorway. It had been so long since he'd heard that note. He wondered what would happen once they got to Bobby's house. The last time, his brother hadn't shown any concern over his welfare—at least it had felt that way. Of course, now that he had time to think back on it, his sibling had been right to lock him away. The thought of him hurting Dean while he battled the demons of his own making was more than he could stand.

Another loud knock on the door brought the youngest Winchester from his musings. He opened the door and looked into concerned green eyes. "You know, you really are a girl Samantha—I mean how long can it take to do your business?" Sam smiled at his brother's grousing as he allowed him to help him back to the bed. After he settled with his back against the headboard, he winced as Dean propped his ankle and applied a new bag of ice that had magically appeared while he'd been in the bathroom.

"You need to take these pain killers and Bobby also left this antibiotic for the wounds on your back." Sam took the pills and tried to hold the glass but his hands were shaking so much, most of it ended up on his chest. He sighed and was going to put the glass down when his brother's hand appeared and helped steady it. He looked up and saw no censure, only someone who was willing to help.

"Thanks…" Sam said softly as he dropped his eyes back down to his lap. He could feel the tremors increase and knew his short reprieve from madness was almost over. Soon the nightmares or hallucinations would begin again. He jumped slightly as a hand clasped his shoulder.

"We'll get through this Sammy, just don't give up on me…"

"Why Dean?" Sam had to ask. The words from the voicemail message still rang in his ears.

"Why what Sam?" Dean answered as he helped him slide back down on the bed. Covers were pulled up and a cool cloth appeared on his forehead.

"Why did you change your mind—you told me to stay gone and you were right to do so." Sam paused as another violent tremor shook his frame. He curled in on himself but refused to let the scream he felt building inside out.

"Bobby sort of made me see what was important—I guess I lost track. I'm sorry Sammy; I never should have said that to you. We're family and nothing will ever change that…" A rough hand cupped his cheek for a moment before his brother stood and moved to the other bed. "Now go to sleep—I'll be here when you wake up."

Sam fought the darkness but in the end he couldn't stop himself from falling back into the darkness he'd created. At least this time he knew when he came out of the world of dreams and illusions someone would be waiting for him. The only problem was, he also knew he didn't deserve it.

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Dean woke with a start as he heard a key in the outside lock. He pulled the sawed off from the floor beside the bed and slowly stood. A moment later he relaxed as the graying ball capped head of Bobby Singer came into view.

"I thought I told you to rest you idgit!" Bobby remarked as he entered the room with an arm full of food bags. Dean could see the sunlight filter in behind his friend before the door was closed with a booted foot. "Well don't just stand there—help me with this crap!"

He laughed softly as he grabbed the drink container from the man and placed it on the rickety table in the corner of the dingy room. The drapes had been kept drawn to not only allow Sam to get some much needed rest, but also to keep prying eyes out. "Any sign of trouble yet?" Dean asked as he pulled out a donut and popped it into his mouth.

"S'all quiet so far. But I don't expect it to last much longer. Rufus is keeping an eye on things and will let me know if anything happens." He should have known Bobby would be on top of the situation. He followed his friends gaze over towards the shivering form of his brother.

"Has he been awake at all?" Bobby asked quietly before he moved closer and placed a hand on the boy's flushed face. "Fever seems to be still burning, but not as high…"

"Yeah, he was up earlier and I managed to get some medicine and liquids in him. But he's a mess Bobby. I just don't know how to fix…" He jumped as a ball cap hit the back of his head.

"You can't fix it you idgit. What's done is done. All we can do is be there for him when he's ready. That's what faml'y does. We wait and catch him before he falls too far." Dean sighed as he took a seat on his bed.

"I know Bobby, but I don't think Sammy sees it that way. He still thinks I'm going to kill him. He tries to hide it, but I can see it in his eyes. He really believes he's a—a—a…." Dean paused not wanting to say it again.

Bobby seemed to understand and simply shook his head. "Well then it's up to us to let him know, no matter what, we'll be here for him." The older hunter paused as a smile curled his lips. "And then we kick his ass for being so stupid!"

Dean laughed softly as he stood and moved towards the window. It was time to start moving. He didn't feel safe here. Of course, the truth was there probably wasn't anywhere safe anymore. But he'd deal with that when the time came. "So what kind of car did you…." Dean's mouth dropped open as he pulled the curtains back and looked outside. "You've got to be kiddin' me!"

Bobby stood beside the young hunter with a look of pure glee on his face. "What's wrong Dean?" he asked innocently.

"No way—there has to be something else. I'm not riding in that thing all the way across country!" Dean sputtered as he looked back at his friend.

"Well it was either that or a hearse. While that would have had plenty of room for your brother to lie down, I thought it might be too conspicuous not to mention a bit creepy." Bobby laughed softly and backed up as Dean rounded on him.

"Conspicuous? And that won't be?"

"Dean, this is the beginning of the summer vacation time. There will be tons of them on the road which will allow us to blend in. Besides, it comes with beds and a completely stocked kitchen. It even has a small bathroom in it…."

"But Bobby—it's—it's an RV man!" Dean shuddered as he let the curtain fall back over the window as if he could eradicate the vehicle by simply barring it from his sight.

"So you'd rather I go back and get the hearse?" Bobby asked his eyebrow raised.

Dean's shoulders slumped. "Fine, but you better not ever tell anyone—I mean it Bobby, not one word!"

Bobby shook his head as he opened the door and headed out to their new mode of transportation. As the door closed Dean looked over at his shivering brother and sighed. "You so owe me for this one Samantha—and don't think I won't collect."

TBC

Raven524: Sorry for the long delay, but at the moment I'm driving cross country to attend the Vancouver Convention—yes I'm now only 2 ½ hours away and getting excited. But I have managed to get another chapter written for you. Thanks to everyone who has commented. I really appreciate the feedback and support! I'm not sure if I'll get another one done before the SN convention starts, but will try…meanwhile, I hope you enjoy the latest installment!


	6. Chapter 6 The Long Road Home

**When Tomorrow Comes**

**Chapter 6 – The Long Road Home**

Dean helped Bobby pack their few belongings and with a brief look at his slumbering sibling followed him out into the morning light. The bus sized RV seemed to mock him in the sunlight. The aged two tone brown with the blue lightening bolt that was missing areas of scratched paint caused him to groan softly. "Seriously Bobby, couldn't you at least get us something a little less…" the hunter stopped with his mouth hanging open as he walked around the end of the vehicle. "No way! Bobby, where the hell did you get this bus?"

"It belongs to Jason's parents. He said they finally bought a new one earlier this year but didn't have the heart to sell this one—said it had lotsa good memories." Bobby joined the oldest Winchester and snickered at the shocked look on the young man's face.

Dean shook his head and pointed to the bumper stickers proudly displayed on the rear end of the RV. Most of them were from National Parks and other locations the two retirees must have visited. "Seriously, you expect me to ride around in something with stickers that say _I 'heart' my RV'?" _Dean did air quotes before he continued._ "…_or better yet _'RV there yet?'_ I mean the pink one with the crown that says _'Trailer Park Princess' _would fit for Sam but really?"

Bobby laughed. "I don't know Dean, I kinda like the one that says _'If you can read this I've lost my trailer!'_ Besides, it's not like anyone is gonna know you're inside. Now get a move on, I just need to put a few more touches on the wards and we need to get on the road."

Dean shook his head as he grabbed the medical supplies and entered the large vehicle. Once inside he actually had to admit it wasn't half bad. There was a large sofa opposite the door with a small kitchen area including a stove, microwave and refrigerator. He moved further inside, walking through the fairly good sized bathroom that included a tub/shower combination. At least if they needed to cool Sam down, they'd be able to.

Finally he moved into the back of the trailer where a queen sized bed was squeezed into the space. It would be large enough for his brother to relax on while they traveled. His eyes moved up and a smile covered his face as he recognized the devils trap drawn on the ceiling. He began to look closer as he exited the camper and saw the other wards and sigils Bobby had carefully placed to keep them safe.

Bobby must have noticed the review of his work as he grinned. "Thought I might as well make sure nothing Supernatural visits while we're moving. I also included some sigils I found that should keep out your angel friends. There are hex bags as well like the ones Ruby used to hide you all from the demons and angels before."

Dean clasped a hand on the old man's shoulder. "Thanks Bobby…"

"Stop being a girl and get that brother of yours. We're burnin' daylight" Bobby replied as he ducked inside the RV.

The older Winchester moved back inside the room. His eyes automatically traveled to the bed and stopped. His brother was no where to be found. "Sammy?"

A soft voice from the bathroom assuaged his fears. "I'll be right out Dean." True to his word, the injured hunter limped from the small bathroom. Dean rushed forward as his brother's knees threatened to buckle.

"Easy there Sammy, I've got you." He gently lowered his sibling to the corner of the bed. "Bobby has your new home all ready to go. I left you some jogging pants to slip into. Don't worry about a shirt since you'll be lying down again in a minute."

"Dean, I can't go riding around in a truck without my shirt…" Sam looked confused.

"Who said anything about a truck? Come on, Bobby's getting impatient." The hunter placed a hand around Sam's waist and led him from the room. He almost fell when the young hunter stopped, his mouth open wide as he got his first look at their transportation.

"You're kidding me right?" Sam looked at Dean, a mischievous grin on his face. "Seriously Dude, how did he convince you to ride in this?

"What? It's perfect for our needs. We can blend in with the tourists, you can rest, Bobby can drive and I can watch Busty Asian Beauties on the TV. Besides, it was made for you Princess…" Dean grinned as he thought about the pink bumper sticker.

Sam rolled his eyes. "Dean, there won't be pay per view in the RV…"

"Yeah, but I picked up a few DVD's…"

"Are you two idjits gonna just stand around admiring our ride or are you ready to head home." Bobby stuck his head out the door.

"We're coming Dad…" Dean replied as he placed a steadying hand around his brother once more and guided him into the RV. He could feel the tremors flowing through his sibling's frame as he took on more weight. Bobby saw the difficulty and immediately exited to lend a helping hand. Between the two men, they were able to get the injured man inside and resting comfortably on the bed.

"Thanks…" Sam whispered as his eyes slowly closed. The short trip had clearly worn him out.

"No problem kiddo." Bobby replied. "I'll drive, you rest Dean." The man continued as he pointed to the sofa that was big enough for the eldest Winchester to lie on.

Dean opened his mouth to tell his friend he was fine, but one look at the man's face was enough for him to shut up and do as he was told. Sometimes Bobby was scarier than his father.

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Sam tossed on the bed, his body shaking and covered in sweat. As his mind continued to replay all the wrong choices he'd made, he began to wonder if he was going insane.

"_No my son, you're not insane." A familiar voice sounded in his mind._

"_Leave me alone, I won't help you…" Sam moaned._

"_But you already have Samuel. Why do you fight what you are meant to be? Come with me and I can give you whatever your heart desires."_

"_I don't want anything from you!" _

"_Hmmm…maybe I haven't been using the right reward. I thought your brother's life, but then you did pick Ruby over him didn't you? Maybe a female…" Sam jumped as he opened his eyes and saw Jessica staring at him. _

"_NO!" Sam cried as he moved away from the woman sitting next to him. "You're not here…"_

"_No, but I can be Sammy. I've been so lonely without you. We could be together again, he said so." Jessica said softly as she moved closer. Her hand rested over Sam's heart, the smell of her favorite shampoo filled the air._

"_I won't…" Sam whispered._

"_Why not? Don't you think you owe me? After all you are the reason I died aren't you?" Jessica's eyes flashed with anger as she gazed at him. "We can be together, have children and the house in the suburbs. Please Sammy, let me stay."_

_Sam swallowed as his eyes filled with tears. But he knew better. The normal life was no longer an option for him, never really had been. "I'm sorry Jess—I'm so sorry." His voice hitched as she stood and moved away from him._

"_I hate you Sam. You did this to me and you can't even man up and make it right. I don't know what I ever saw in you." Jessica's voice was hard._

"_No, please…" Sam cried as he reached out for a moment before retracting his hand. It was a trick, if he accepted the gift he was accepting the demon's terms. He wouldn't be fooled again._

"It's not going to work you bastard. Now get out of my head!" Sam yelled as he pushed himself up and stumbled from the bed. His foot crumbled beneath him and he yelped with pain as he caught himself with his sore shoulder. The last thing he heard was the sound of pounding feet as he hit the tile in the bathroom.

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Dean jerked from his sleep at the sound of his brother's cry. He quickly rose from the sofa and blanched as he saw his brother's six foot frame collapse in the bathroom. "Sammy!" The hunter yelled as he ran towards his unconscious sibling.

"Is he okay?" Bobby's voice sounded from the driver's seat.

"I think so, looks like he just passed out." Dean replied as he checked over his brother's frame. The fever was climbing again and the tremors had increased. Before he could move, Sam suddenly started to buck on the floor.

"Stop the car Bobby, he's seizing!" Dean yelled as he quickly placed Sam in the recovery position. He was having problems keeping his brother from hurting himself further due to the small confined space. A moment later Bobby appeared at his side and crawled over the boy's shaking frame to help secure his legs.

"We need to tie him down again Dean. He's gonna hurt himself if this keeps up." Bobby's eyes were filled with sympathy as Dean struggled to keep Sam's head from hitting the hard floor. After a couple of minutes, his brother's body went still. The oldest Winchester sucked in a breath and felt for a pulse before he relaxed.

"It's over for now." Dean said softly.

"Help me get him back on the bed Dean. I borrowed some soft restraints from the hospital and attached them to the bed. We can use those…" Dean simply nodded as they gently placed the ailing man on the large bed.

"I'm sorry Sammy…" Dean said as he helped Bobby attach the restraints. They left the injured ankle free and made sure there was enough room on the arm restraints so that it wouldn't bother his shoulder. The only bad part was it would require Sam to lie on his injured back.

"We can take them off when he's awake Dean." Bobby said as he stood in the doorway.

"He's gonna hate it…he'll think we don't trust him."

"Do you?" Bobby asked softly.

"Do I what?" Dean asked trying to avoid the question.

"Do you trust him?"

Dean took a deep breath before looking up at the older hunter. "I want to—but…" Dean took a deep breath. "No, No I don't." The oldest Winchester stood and moved past his friend. "I'll drive for a while."

He moved quickly to the front the RV and started the engine. The large wheel felt awkward, but he soon forgot about it as he let his mind drift. Anger flared as he thought about the last few weeks. His brother had lied to him over and over again and how could he forget him trying to choke the life out of him? He had left the message for his brother and it hadn't made any difference. Sam still chose to go with Ruby rather than come back to him. Even Sam would have to admit he had no reason to trust him. So why did he feel so bad about it? Sam is the one who screwed up and yet he was the one who felt guilty.

A soft sigh escaped his lips as he heard a soft moan from the back of the vehicle. He wasn't the only one to feel guilty. His brother was beating himself up and this time he couldn't even argue that he didn't deserve at least some of it. He had to admit he was dreading the inevitable chick flick moment. How could he help his brother when he himself was having problems getting past his own hurt feelings?

He jumped as Bobby sat in the passenger seat. His eyes filled with concern and understanding. "You just need to take it one day at a time Dean. None of this is gonna be easy."

Dean smirked. "Thanks Dr. Phil…"

He ducked as a dirty ball cap was aimed for his head. "You know, I still have my shot gun…" Bobby remarked with a sly grin.

"Okay, okay—I wouldn't want you to waste the ammo…" Dean sighed. "I have a feeling we are going to need it sooner than later."

Bobby's face grew solemn. "There is already more demon sign. Rufus has been keeping track. It's not overly bad yet, but something is definitely in the works."

"Yeah, and I'm the one who's supposed to put the genie back in the bottle. Any ideas?" Dean asked as he rolled his shoulders. Suddenly the weight was beginning to feel too heavy to bear again. He really didn't have time to deal with his own family drama when the world was getting ready to implode.

"What do we always do?" Bobby said softly.

"That's what I thought—Dude we are so screwed." Dean replied as he continued to drive into the late afternoon sun.

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

"_Do you trust him?"_

Sam groaned as the voice intruded on the darkness surrounding him. He tried to fight his way back to awareness but part of him wanted to know the answer. Dean's voice was quiet and resigned as he replied.

"_I want to—but…" _There was a pause in which Sam felt his heart beat rapidly. _"No, No I don't." _

The hole in his heart grew along with the hollow feeling in his stomach at his brother's admission. He as sure Dean would never have said that if he'd thought Sam was aware. Of course, he'd suspected it and even deserved it. But it still hurt more than he thought. He'd lost his brother's trust and respect. He didn't doubt Dean's love or that he'd protect him with everything he had. He also knew with time, his brother would forgive him or at least he hoped he would. No, he knew he would because his brother would sacrifice everything to save him once again.

Hazel eyes finally blinked open as he felt the RV begin to move. His head rolled to the side but he couldn't see his brother. Flinching at the pain in his back, he attempted to roll onto his side only to discover he was once again restrained. A single tear fell as he realized not only didn't his brother trust him, but he was also afraid of him.

"_What did you expect Sam?" John Winchester stood leaning against the doorframe. "You ignored everything I taught you."_

_Sam swallowed as he met the condemnation in the dark brown eyes of his father. "I'm sorry…"_

"_Well that certainly fixes everything doesn't it. Lucifer is free because you couldn't say no to a demon. You drank demon blood and turned yourself into something that should be hunted and yet you still expect your brother to save you?" John moved closer and sat on the edge of the bed. "You're a monster Sammy and what's worse is you chose to become one."_

"_No, I thought…" Sam stuttered_

"_That's the problem, you didn't think. Now not only does your brother have to clean up your mess, but innocent people are going to die. All of their deaths are on your conscience Sam." His father stood and walked to the end of the bed, his eyes hard. "You know what you need to do Sam—be man enough to end this before Dean gets himself killed."_

_Sam looked towards the front of the RV and sighed. "You're right Dad. I know what I have to do."_

John nodded before he walked back through the bathroom and out of Sam's sight. His father was right; he couldn't let Dean sacrifice anything else for him. He'd already gone to hell to save him—that was more than anyone could expect. Tears gathered in his eyes as he realized how badly he'd treated his sibling after he returned. Instead of listening, he saw him as weak when in truth it had been Sam that was the weak one—always had been.

A soft groan escaped his lips as the pain in his back increased. He knew if he called out, someone would come but he never made a sound. Instead he allowed himself to fall back into the darkness where he belonged. He deserved to suffer for what he'd done.

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Dean pulled over to a rest area. "Should we keep going or stop for the night?"

Bobby looked back at the doorway to the bedroom. "I can drive a few more hours. The sooner we get back to the house, the better I'll feel."

"Okay, I'll check on Sam and then we can take off." Dean stood and stretched his tired muscles. It had been over six hours where he'd listened to his brother's tortured mutterings. Bobby had checked back a few times but indicated Sam seemed to be out of it like before. He rubbed a hand down his face as he moved towards the back of the RV. Part of him was so angry with his brother he just wanted to walk away. But Bobby had been right, family was family and down deep he knew Sam had been played when he'd been vulnerable. It was just the whole Ruby thing he had trouble with—why had Sam chosen her over him?

"Make sure you get some rest as well Dean. You can relieve me in a few hours." Bobby remarked as he moved behind the wheel and pulled back onto the highway.

He paused in the bathroom and ran water over his face before he entered the now darkened bedroom. The first thing he noticed was the pain lines on his brother's face followed by the dull stare of hazel eyes as he switched on the light. "Hey there Sammy. Ah—I'm sorry about the restraints but…"

"S'okay Dean…" Sam said softly, his voice devoid of emotion.

"Why don't we just take them off while you're awake. Maybe get you sitting up so we can get some fluids into you?" Dean moved forward and was shocked at the way his brother looked. His skin was pale and his eyes actually looked sunken into hollowed out cheeks. This was worse than the last time, much worse. Sam didn't resist when he gently removed the restraints and pulled him up into a sitting position.

"Can I go to the bathroom?" Sam's quiet voice seemed to fill the room. Dean blinked as he wondered how long his brother had been sitting here waiting for someone to notice. "Why didn't you call?"

Sam simply shrugged as Dean helped him stand. His brother leaned heavily on him for a moment before he began to move towards the bathroom. "Do you think you can manage Sam?"

"Sure Dean…" Sam replied as he grabbed onto the sink and held on.

"Okay, but don't lock the door. Call when you're done and I'll help you back to bed." Dean waited for some kind of response but his brother never made a move towards the door. He closed it quietly and listened until he was sure Sam wouldn't be falling. He rubbed a hand over his face and stared at the closed door. Something was terribly wrong.

"How's he doing?" Bobby's voice floated from the front of the RV.

"I honestly don't know…" Dean replied as he turned and hurried to the kitchen to grab some sports drink and throw in some toast. He was pretty sure he'd be lucky if he got Sam to eat and drink even this amount.

"What's wrong Dean?" Bobby turned partially in his seat as he kept his eye on the road.

"I'm not sure, but the sooner we get to your place the better I'll feel." Dean remarked as he moved back to the door. He heard the sound of running water and figured his brother was done with his business. He slowly opened the door and watched as his brother's shoulders tightened before slumping once more.

"Sammy what's wrong?" Dean decided it was better to just ask. After all, he hadn't been good at reading his little brother for more than a year now.

"Nothing Dean, I'm just tired." Sam waited until Dean moved beside him. He didn't protest when he placed a steadying hand around his sibling's waist. The constant tremors had seemed to stop but he could still feel heat radiating from his brother's skin. "You've still got a fever Sammy. How is your back?"

Sam shrugged again. "It's fine Dean. You should get some rest…"

"I'm not going anywhere Sam. Now sit down here while I get the first aid kit. I want to check your wounds." Dean watched as his brother did as he asked. His head hung down and his shoulders spoke of despair. He could understand it to some extent but he didn't know how to fix it this time. So for now he'd work on the physical and worry about the mental when they got to Bobby's.

He grabbed the toast and drink along with the first aid kit before he returned to the bedroom. Sam was in the same position. "Okay, let me take a look at your back." Maybe if he kept it to the task at hand his brother would let him in. He was angry with Sam yes, but he still couldn't stand to see him in so much pain. He drew in a quick breath as he removed the bandages and saw the raw edges. "Well you definitely got a little infection going on here. This might hurt a little…"

"S'okay Dean." Sam replied as he turned to allow him better access. Dean made a quick job of cleaning out and bandaging the wounds again. He placed a hand on his brother's shoulder and helped him sit back against the head board. A few pillows helped cushion his sibling's tender back as he helped Sam take the pills he'd grabbed. He watched as Sam took a few bites of toast before he handed it back to Dean.

"M'sorry—not hungry…"

"It's the fever Sammy. As soon as we can get it to break you'll be feeling better. Let me help you lie on your side and you try to get some more sleep." Dean watched as Sam slowly rolled over onto his back, a slight cringe crossed his features before he placed his arms out towards the restraints.

"S'okay Dean…" Sam replied as he placed his arms inside the restraints.

"No Sam, you don't. Damn it, you were seizing again. We had to tie you down to stop you from hurting yourself!" Dean pulled the restraints back. "You aren't a prisoner…"

Sam sighed. "I should be…"

Dean stepped back and watched as his brother's eyes began to slowly close. It was clear his brother's guilt was making this much worse. All he had to do was tell Sam he forgave him but the words refused to come. The older hunter sighed as he repositioned his unconscious sibling onto his side. He had to get past this or they were all screwed.

TBC

Raven524: Okay, I'm finally back after four weeks of constantly being on the road. I realize this story is probably all AU now since the premier has happened. But since it's finished I'll continue to post the last couple of chapters. Hopefully it won't disappoint. The good news is, since its finished I can post quicker. Thanks again to all who are following and replying to the story.


	7. Chapter 7 Little Boy Lost

**When Tomorrow Comes**

**Chapter 7 – Little Boy Lost**

Bobby and Dean took turns driving until after what seemed like weeks, they pulled into the junk yard. Dean sighed as Bobby's house came into sight. This was home. He never realized until now how much he'd missed having some place to come back to, to feel safe. He really owed their old friend more than he could ever repay.

"How's Sam?" Bobby asked as he stood from behind the wheel and stretched stiff muscles.

Dean looked back at the darkened bedroom and sighed. "Physically, I think he's over the worst of it. He still has a fever but I think that's because the wounds on his back aren't healing." Dean ran a hand through his hair. "He still insists on being tethered Bobby even though I know it's hurting his back."

Bobby placed a hand on Dean's shoulder. "Give him time son, both of you need time to deal with all of this…"

"Yeah, well time is something we don't have!" Dean said as he punched his fist against the wall. "The freakin' apocalypse is starting. We have to find Cas and figure out a way to stop Lucifer."

"Not today Dean. Today you need to get your brother inside and we need to all get some sleep. Tomorrow will be soon enough." Bobby opened the camper door and moved outside, his gun in his hand as he approached his house. "You get Sam ready while I check things out…"

Dean sighed as he watched his friend until he entered the house. He didn't like letting Bobby go off on his own with who knew what around, but he trusted the hunter. He turned and walked quietly towards the back of the RV. Sam hadn't spoken a word since their previous discussion. But then he didn't appear to be having any more hallucinations either.

He still was angry with his brother over his choices lately and certainly couldn't trust him until they were sure his addition to demon blood was behind them. But he hated the dead look in his brother's gaze when he briefly looked up at him. He saw the hospital restraints were attached again except for the one hand. His brother had managed to redo them after the last time he had removed them. With a sigh Dean placed a hand on his brother's shoulder before he began to remove the restraints.

"We're home Sammy. Time to go inside and get some rest. We'll figure this all out tomorrow." Dean watched as Sam's eyes opened and looked around for a moment before he pushed himself up with a wince. His brother's ankle was still badly swollen and from the bruising on the shoulder, it wasn't in much better shape. But the blood seeping through the bandages on his brother's back spoke louder than any words that he was still hurting and needed more time to heal.

"Let me help you Sam." Dean said quietly as he gently pulled his brother into an upright position. He could feel his brother's weakness as he leaned into him, his head was down and his breathing was soft and raspy. "I've got you Sammy, just lean on me."

"Thanks…" was the softly spoken reply before they staggered out of the RV and headed towards the house. As they moved slowly Dean felt a slight rustle of the breeze followed by the sound of wings. He didn't have to look, he knew it was Cas.

"Now is not a good time Cas!" Dean muttered as he turned to gaze into the passive face of the angel.

"I am sorry Dean, but there won't be a good time for some time to come. You and I need to talk…" Cas looked at Sam for a brief moment but returned his gaze to Dean. It was clear the angel didn't want to say anything in front of his younger brother.

Dean pulled Sam's arm up further and helped his brother up the stairs. It was slow going and his brother was obviously getting tired from the additional weight he placed on him. He really didn't want to deal with Cas and his angel buddies until he'd had time to at least get some sleep in a real bed; but he also understood he had to do something to help clean up the mess they'd made. "Fine, follow me inside…"

"I can't..." Cas replied as he stood at the bottom of the steps.

"Why not?" Dean stopped and looked down at the angel.

"Because I made sure none of their kind can come in my home!" Bobby remarked as he stepped out on the porch. His eyes were filled with disgust as he looked at the fallen angel. "I won't have you zapping either one of these boys off again without their consent."

"I have to speak to Dean. I won't take him anywhere without his consent." Cas replied, his face still passive in the gathering light.

"S'okay Dean. You talk to Cas, Bobby can help me inside." Sam whispered as he stepped back from Dean. Dean could feel the gap between them growing and it wasn't just because Bobby was now helping Sam inside. He probably should have insisted that Cas include Sam in the discussion, but then how could he when he didn't trust his brother himself?

"We need to discuss your next move Dean." Cas said as he leaned against an old car carcass.

"What is there to talk about? Unless you know where Lucy is hiding…oh and also how we go about killing the son of a bitch." Dean walked slowly down the steps and stopped in front of the angel.

Cas sighed. "I don't know the answers to your questions Dean."

"So basically, nothing's changed. Well excuse me Cas, but I think I'll go on my own intel. Yours hasn't really been that accurate lately." A flurry of movement caused Dean to step back involuntarily as the angel's face was inches from his own.

"Do not make light of the situation Dean. You will need my help and more to win this fight. Remember your promise…" Dean shoved the angel back and glared.

"That was before you yahoo's jump started the end of the world!" Dean held up his hand before Cas could respond. "I don't want to hear about Sam's role. You asshats set him up and then tied my hands until it was too late to stop him. I'm not saying we are blameless, but we didn't do this all on our own."

Cas stepped back and looked at Dean for a moment before he continued. "Mistakes have been made, but we need to make sure you're still on the right side--that your brother..." Cas looked towards the house for a moment "…is no longer influenced."

This time Dean stepped up next to the angel and caught his eye. "I'm on the side that makes sure and many humans as possible are spared. As for Sam, you leave him to me to worry about. I trust him a lot more than I trust any of your angel pals at the moment. So if you want me to fight to save this world, then fine. Otherwise you can kiss my rear and move on!"

"Many will die Dean and there isn't anything you can do to stop it." Cas said softly, his eyes reflecting pity for the first time.

"Maybe not, but I'll at least try to save them. Tell me Cas, you once said you had to follow my lead. Why do you think that was?"

"I do not know. My father doesn't always share all the details…" The angel said softly.

"Well neither did mine, but one thing I always understood. They both want what's right. Letting the world end without a fight isn't an option Cas but neither is sacrificing the very thing God would want saved." Dean stepped back and watched the conflicting emotions flow across the angel's face. "Now I'm going in to check on my brother. Then I'm going to get some sleep and afterwards Bobby and I will try to figure out a way to clean up this mess. If you come up with a way to help, then let me know. Otherwise…" Dean never got to finish as the sound of wings was followed by the disappearance of the angel. "Man, I do love his exits…"

Dean shook his head as he turned to enter the house. He knew sooner or later he'd have to face Zach but for today he was going to do what Bobby suggested. He would worry about them tomorrow after he had talked to Sam.

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Sam sat and looked at the iron door to the panic room. He had managed to convince Bobby to help him down into the room, even though the hunter was against the idea. In the end, it had probably been the argument that nothing could get to Sam here and in his weakened condition, it was best not to take chances. He knew Bobby didn't buy the whole thing, but it had enough merit to convince him to bring him down the stairs.

He shivered slightly as he remembered the last time he'd been here. Actually it had only been a few days, yet it felt like a lifetime. He stood and moved towards the door. Bobby had insisted he leave it open but he knew better. His friend shouldn't trust him any more than Dean did. It was dangerous. His leg complained as he put pressure on the injured joint, but he brushed the pain aside. It was nothing compared to the pain he held within. Just a few more steps and he'd be able to shut himself in, away from those who had once cared for him.

He knew Dean and Bobby still cared and even loved him. But he didn't deserve it. He had made the choices, Ruby hadn't lied about that. He had to live with the consequences. Which meant he needed to free his friends from the burden he now carried. As long as he was around, they would have to worry about him. Would he drink more demon blood? No he didn't want to, but then he had been weak before.

Demons were already after him and soon the angels and hunters would follow. He couldn't put Dean and Bobby in front of him like a living shield. He'd rather die than have them get injured or worse trying to protect him. No, he wouldn't put them at risk. The problem was what could he do?

He looked around the room expecting someone or something to answer, but none came. At least the withdrawal seemed to be over. He no longer felt weak, but the urge was still there. He didn't know what would happen if he came in contact with another demon right now. If he was honest with himself, he knew he couldn't hunt. Not until he was sure.

He jumped as he heard the door on the window slide away to reveal green eyes. "Hey Sammy, whatcha doing in there?"

Dean's voice was calm but Sam could detect the underlying worry in the tone. They may have grown apart, but some things still rang true. He turned to gaze at his brother, his own eyes filling for a moment. "This is where I belong Dean…"

He heard the door handle jiggle before his brother looked in once again. "Open the door Sam, I have to check out your back and that ankle still needs to be tended."

"I'm fine Dean—or as fine as can be expected. Look we both know I'm a liability right now. You are right not to trust me. Even Cas knows I'm unreliable. You and Bobby need to concentrate on helping people—innocent people." The tears that had been gathering began to fall slowly down his cheeks as he turned away. He was laid bare and couldn't take the censure he knew he deserved from his brother.

"So what, You gonna lock yourself away and do what exactly Sam?" The first sign of anger was creeping into his brother's voice.

"I'm doing what you started before I messed things up. I'm staying here until I can get my head on straight, until you can…" A soft hitch caused him to pause before he continued, stronger this time as he met his brother's gaze. "…until you can trust me again Dean."

He heard the swift intake of breath followed by a fist slamming against the wall. He expected his brother to argue with him but instead a soft voice came through the small window. "You're right Sammy, we can't hunt together right now…I'll have Bobby bring down the first aid kit and some supplies. Let him help you Sam, even if you don't want to let me…"

Sam stood and staggered to the door. "No, you don't understand Dean. I'm not mad at you, I'm saying your right to be disgusted with me. I disgust myself!"

Dean's green eyes swam with tears as he looked through the window. "Well, I can't say I'm not mad at you Sam. I can't even say that I forgive you for what you did to me. You chose a demon over me Sam, a demon…." His brother looked away for a moment before turning back. "But I haven't given up on you Sam. I meant it when I said we were brother's and nothing is ever gonna change that."

Sam dropped his head for a moment before he reached down to slowly open the door. Before he could push it open he felt it being pulled from the other side. A moment later he was standing face to face with the only person he needed to be whole. Unfortunately, he didn't feel like he had the right to ask for it—not any more. They both stood and looked at each other for a moment before Dean sighed and took a step forward. A strong arm was placed around his waist as he was tugged from the room.

"Bobby has set up protections all over the house. You'll be safe anywhere inside Sam. So what do you say you let me take you upstairs…" Sam took a deep breath and looked back at the small room. Dean was right, he couldn't lock himself away and he couldn't take the easy way out by killing himself. He was a Winchester and he had to figure out a way to get past his addiction so he could begin to make amends.

"Okay Dean." Sam said as he felt the brief tightening of the arm around him before they started their journey up the stairs. They might not be able to hunt together for now, but at least Dean had given Sam the one thing he needed—Hope. He wasn't sure how or when, but he'd earn the trust he'd taken for granted for too long. But for now, he'd work on getting his head on straight. He owed to it Dean and a Winchester always repaid a debt.

The End

Raven524: Well I went back and decided to scrap where this was originally heading because it just didn't make sense with the current status of things. Hopefully the ending didn't suck too bad as I tried to bring the story back in line. I've already started to work on a sequel of sorts – I mean, I do have to bring them back together right? Thanks again to everyone who has read and supported this story. I appreciate your time and especially those who dropped me a line. Now on to the next story!


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